


The One Percent | markhyuck

by sandrashaine



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Animals, Cats, Dogs, Human, M/M, Wereanimals, Werecats, Weredog, Werelion, lion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:49:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 31,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26043766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandrashaine/pseuds/sandrashaine
Summary: Wherein the one percent of the world's population are wereanimals- which means that they have the ability to shape shift as animals, but they have to keep it a secret as a lot of humans see them as monsters.The 20-year-old college student, Lee Donghyuck, was weirded out by his new classmate named Mark Lee who took an interest on him. What Donghyuck did not know that Mark is a werelion— will he accept Mark's true self or will he run and hide in fear?[ mk.l x l.dh ]- 2020[ No Plagiarism ]
Relationships: Animal - Relationship, Family - Relationship, Jung Jaehyun & Lee Taeyong, Lee Jeno & Na Jaemin, Mark lee & lee donghyuck, Markhyuck - Relationship, Nomin - Relationship, Schoolmates - Relationship, clasmates, human - Relationship, jaeyong
Comments: 57
Kudos: 165





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a native english speaker. I learnt english as a second language, so, if there's any grammatical error please notify me so I can correct it.
> 
> And please, leave a comment: critic or praise. Just to keep my motivation on writing and to keep the story better.
> 
> I also have a wattpad account (@shhhaine) where I also post my other nct fanfics. You can check them out!

Donghyuck yawned as he walked down to the quiet road. It was still early in the morning and the cool breeze of the island was welcoming him.

It's been years since the last time he came back to Jeju Island. The last time he went back here was when he was still 6 years old, he remembered he and his parents went to a camping that year. Now, he came back for a different reason. He's not here for neither vacation nor camping. He's back here to live and study.

Donghyuck's parents got divorced last summer and he went to his mother. Thus, resulting him to move outside Seoul with his mother to back to Jeju Island while his father was in Seoul with his new family. Donghyuck doesn't have a bitter feeling towards his father or his family, in fact, they are all nice to him and they treated him like a family. But Donghyuck decided to stay with his mother because she'll be alone.

Donghyuck was in his 3rd year of college already and he transferred to a university on the island.

 **"You are the transferee, right?"** Asked the professor the moment that Donghyuck stepped into the room.

Donghyuck nodded.

 **"The only vacant seat here is the seat beside Mark Lee,"** said the professor. **"Sit beside the man at the last row near the window."**

Donghyuck nodded and he roamed his eyes around the classroom to find the vacant seat. When he found it, he saw his seatmate, they guys named Mark looking intensely at him— Donghyuck thought that maybe Mark wasn't looking intensely at him, maybe that's how he normally look at every one.

As Donghyuck walked towards his seat, he could hear his classmates whispers. He doesn't know whether he should be flattered or not.

**"I heard he came from Seoul."**

**"He's tan. He must be sporty."**

**"Look at that body proportion. Damn."**

**"Hi,"** said Donghyuck and he smiled at the lad named Mark Lee as he put his backpack on the side of the table and sat beside him.

Mark did not answer. He just nodded at Donghyuck.

He looks familiar. Donghyuck thought. He doesn't know where he saw the lad. Maybe it was just his imagination or maybe he did really say him. This university was famous and had been featured on T.V. and documentaries a lot, he must've been showed there once or twice that's why he looks familiar to Donghyuck.

 **"My name is Donghyuck,"** said Donghyuck to the lad. He was trying to make a conversation. He doesn't want to be awkward with his new seatmate.

 **"Mark,"** said the lad plainly.

 **"English name? You must've came from abroad,"** Donghyuck commented. **"Are you a transferee, too?"**

Mark shook his head. **"I was born here."**

 _Eh? How come he have an English name?_ Donghyuck thought. He was curious about the lad.

Donghyuck was about to ask the lady a question again but he noticed that Mark slightly moved his chair away from him.

" **Your perfume is too strong,"** said Mark in a low voice.

 _I didn't put any perfume today though._ Donghyuck thought. He was about to say it to Mark but the professor starts lecturing and Donghyuck couldn't do anything but to listen.

Donghyuck was thinking that maybe Mark has a sensitive nose that's why he found his smell too strong.

After three more subjects, the class finally ended and Mark didn't talk to him for the entire 4 hours. Mark kept his distance from Donghyuck that made the younger wonder if Mark doesn't like him or hate him.

When the class finally ended, Mark immediately picked up his bag and went out of the room.

 **"Hey!"** Said the guy with a beautiful smile to Donghyuck. **"I'm Jaemin, by the way."**

 **"Hello, nice you meet you,"** said Donghyuck. He, then, picked up his bag and went out of the room with Jaemin.

 **"So you're the unlucky person,"** said Jaemin.

" **Why am I unlucky?"**

 **"Because you seat beside Mark Lee,"** Jaemin answered. **"No one in the class dares to go near him. He's kinda scary, you know. He always glare at everyone."**

 **"I noticed that,"** said Donghyuck as he remembered how Mark looked at him while ago.

 **"Do you wanna come with me? To watch the practice of the basketball team?"** Asked Jaemin.

Donghyuck nodded at the lad. He doesn't have anything to do as of the moment, the professors didn't give any homework to them. Also, in that way, he'll be more familiarwith the places inside the school.

The two went to the gym and sat on one the bench, they sat in the middle row. He saw mark inside the court, running and playing basketball. Donghyuck was thinking that this is the reason why he immediately went out of the classroom earlier.

 **"You know, Mark is quite famous because of his looks and also because he's part of the basketball team but everyone's scared of him,"** said Jaemin. **"His two brothers are also famous. I actually prefer the two, they are friendlier than him."**

 **"Who are they?"** Donghyuck curiously asked.

 **"They are also part of the basketball team. The man with a long, brown hair was Taeyong. He was the eldest and the nicest. He's really friendly and he's always warm with everyone,"** said Jaemin as he pointed at the man with a red headband.

 **"And the youngest among them was Lee Jeno. He's a sophomore. He's awkward but he's nice. He's just having a hard time talking to anyone,"** said Jaemin as he giggled and then he pointed at the lad with a deep, black hair who's also wearing a red headband like Taeyong.

 **"Do you have a crush on him?"** Asked Donghyuck and the lad's face reddened.

**"Am I that obvious?"**

Donghyuck nodded.

 _Is he even trying to hide it?_ Donghyuck asked himself.

The practice game went on for hours and Jaemin was cheering for Jeno even if the lad didn't even spare a look at him. During the entire game, Donghyuck's eyes are only focused on Mark, even if he tries to look at the other players he would still end up looking at Mark. His eyes are fixed on him. Donghyuck couldn't explain why but he thinks that Mark is too beautiful to the point that he couldn't take his eyes off him. He also felt nostalgic as he look at the lad run and play.

When the game ends, Jaemin and Donghyuck part their ways. Donghyuck went straight home and while he's in his room reading his lessons, he felt as if someone was staring at him.

Donghyuck shrugged off the feeling, no one was staring at him as he was alone in the room.

After a few hours, Donghyuck stopped from reading to rest. He, then, looked at the window. And he saw a pair of amber-colored eyes looking at him.

Donghyuck was shocked when he saw those eyes— those amber-colored eyes doesn't look like human eyes, it looks like a cat eyes but it's bigger than cat's, it's impossible to have a big cat in their neighborhood, so he stood up from his chair and went to the window to see it closely.

He, then, saw a lion from afar. Donghyuck's forehead creased in confusion. How come there's a lion here? Donghyuck blinked and then suddenly, the lion's gone. He roamed his eyes around to find the lion but he couldn't find it anymore.

Donghyuck wasn't sure if it was his imagination or not.

It was impossible to have a lion here. Even if he was living on an island, he lives in the most crowded part of it. There's a lot of houses and establishments around. Jeju Island looks like a city now than it did before.

Maybe it's just a product of his imagination. It's impossible for him to see a lion here. He had to go to the most secluded area on the island, to the forest, to see a lion or a wild animal.

Donghyuck thinks that he should ask Jaemin tomorrow if there are any lions living in the island's forest.


	2. one

**"Hyung! Stop doing that!"**

Mark almost had a heart attack because of Taeyong. The moment he entered the house, he thought he saw a ghost because of Taeyong— the lights in the entire house are off and Taeyong was sitting in the corner looking seriously at Mark.

 **"Stop what?"** Asked Taeyong the moment that Mark turned the lights on.

 **"Stop turning the lights off, sitting in the corner, and looking at me like that every time I came back,"** said Mark. It was midnight and every time he came back home during these times, he never fails to see his brother like that.

 **"You sneak again,"** said Taeyong. **"You went to that boy's house again."**

Mark didn't reply. He sat on the vacant chair across from Taeyong.

 **"I told you to stop sneaking to go to that boy's house. What if you got caught?"** Taeyong reprimanded him. **"You know humans, they will surely try to catch you. What if they kill you or place you in a zoo?** "

Mark heave a deep breath. There goes his brother, lecturing him again. Taeyong never fails to lecture him every time he came back.

Since Donghyuck transferred to their university, Mark knew that he was the kid who got lost in the middle of the forest 14 years ago. At that time, Mark still wasn't able to transform completely to his human form, so the lad saw him in his half-human form— he had a human body but he has lion ears, eyes, tail, claws, and fangs.

Though this time, Mark was certain that he was imprinted to Donghyuck. He had this uncontrollable weird, intense feeling to the lad but he had to keep his distance from Donghyuck, or else he will surely lose his control.

He couldn't just say that he was the boy that guided him back to the camping site, he was certain that Donghyuck will surely freak out. He maybe didn't freak when he saw Mark when he was a kid but what if he freaked out now that he's finally an adult? Maybe the reason why Donghyuck didn't freak out at that was because of the cartoon he watched, the lion king. He clearly remembered that Donghyuck gave him the nickname Simba.

When he was young, Mark wasn't sure what he was. He wasn't human but he wasn't an animal either. He's neither of two kinds. When he got older, his mother explained that he and his other two brothers are all wereanimals— that they are part of both worlds, they are able to have human form, animal form, and half-human form.

 **"I will not get caught. I am always cautious and on guard. Every time I sense that someone is coming near me, I transform back to my human form,"** Mark retorted.

 **"Why do you always go in that boy's house in your lion form? You can go there with your human form, it's safer that way,"** asked Taeyong.

He once tries to follow Mark when he went to Donghyuck's house, Mark was just looking at Donghyuck by the window. He really doesn't get it why the boy always go there just to see the younger through the window.

 **"We're classmates. He will know that it's me,"** said Mark. **"Also, he haven't caught me. So, it's still okay for me to go there."**

 **"Where's Jeno, by the way?"** Asked Mark when he noticed that their youngest brother wasn't around.

Taeyong, Mark, and Jeno aren't brothers by blood. They are all adopted by a human, but sadly, their adopted mother died 4 years ago because of a heart attack, leaving them all. Their mother is the reason why they believed that humans are capable of loving and accepting their kind, the wereanimals, but of course, it was only a few of them who really accepted their kind. Mark saw a lot of creatures like them who got killed when they got caught, so they're trying to keep their identity all by themselves. Every time that Mark saw a person or animal in the news or in person, he instantly knows that they're wereanimals because they smell different than normal humans. They smell more like an animal than humans.

Mark is a werelion, he was the biggest and the wildest among the three of them when it comes to their animal form; Taeyong, the eldest, is a werecat— a scottish fold cat to be exact, he was the smallest among the three of them; while Jeno, the youngest, is a weredog— a samoyed dog.

**"Jeno is out. He's probably at Jaemin's place again, pretending to be a stray dog," said Taeyong.**

The three of them are used to in their human form, they prefer their human form actually. But time by time, they went back to their animal form whenever they're inside the house or they go to the forest because it's safer that way.

Their house was out of the town, they are located where there are few houses. Every house was kilometers away from each other, so people rarely see them. They went to school or to the town by car.

Taeyong stood up from the couch.

 **"I'll go to sleep now. Don't forget to turn off the lights before you sleep,"** said Taeyong and then he went to his room to sleep.

Mark understands why Taeyong let Jeno go out in his animal form while he, Mark, always got lectured by Taeyong. That was because Jeno is a dog, every time that people see dogs in the street they'll giggle and want to pet the dog, the vice versa when they see a lion— Mark's sure that people will freak out, probably will faint, and run away when they saw a lion.

Ever since Jeno saw Jaemin two years ago at the general assembly, Jeno was immediately imprinted to the lad. After that, Jeno started to go out and go to Jaemin's house to pretend as a stray dog just to see the lad and hear him talk.

Mark was wondering why Jaemin haven't adopted Jeno. Haven't he wonder why there's always a samoyed near his house? He always feeds and pet Jeno in his dog form but he never adopted the lad.

How long do I have to go there and look at him through the window? Mark asked himself. He couldn't don't that forever. Someday, Donghyuck will found someone else and fall in love. Mark was afraid to tell him that he wasn't a human, that he was the boy who guided him back when he got lost in the middle of the forest.

Mark was afraid that Donghyuck will get scared of him. He doesn't want to be viewed as a monster.


	3. two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the love and support! I didn't expect that this story will receive this much love. When I published this I didn't expect that this will receive 10 kudos with just prologue alone. 
> 
> Thank you so much!

**"Hyung! Stop doing that!"**

Mark almost had a heart attack because of Taeyong. The moment he entered the house, he thought he saw a ghost because of Taeyong— the lights in the entire house are off and Taeyong was sitting in the corner looking seriously at Mark.

 **"Stop what?"** Asked Taeyong the moment that Mark turned the lights on.

 **"Stop turning the lights off, sitting in the corner, and looking at me like that every time I came back,"** said Mark. It was midnight and every time he came back home during these times, he never fails to see his brother like that.

 **"You sneak again,"** said Taeyong. **"You went to that boy's house again."**

Mark didn't reply. He sat on the vacant chair across from Taeyong.

 **"I told you to stop sneaking to go to that boy's house. What if you got caught?"** Taeyong reprimanded him. **"You know humans, they will surely try to catch you. What if they kill you or place you in a zoo?** "

Mark heave a deep breath. There goes his brother, lecturing him again. Taeyong never fails to lecture him every time he came back.

Since Donghyuck transferred to their university, Mark knew that he was the kid who got lost in the middle of the forest 14 years ago. At that time, Mark still wasn't able to transform completely to his human form, so the lad saw him in his half-human form— he had a human body but he has lion ears, eyes, tail, claws, and fangs.

Though this time, Mark was certain that he was imprinted to Donghyuck. He had this uncontrollable weird, intense feeling to the lad but he had to keep his distance from Donghyuck, or else he will surely lose his control.

He couldn't just say that he was the boy that guided him back to the camping site, he was certain that Donghyuck will surely freak out. He maybe didn't freak when he saw Mark when he was a kid but what if he freaked out now that he's finally an adult? Maybe the reason why Donghyuck didn't freak out at that was because of the cartoon he watched, the lion king. He clearly remembered that Donghyuck gave him the nickname Simba.

When he was young, Mark wasn't sure what he was. He wasn't human but he wasn't an animal either. He's neither of two kinds. When he got older, his mother explained that he and his other two brothers are all wereanimals— that they are part of both worlds, they are able to have human form, animal form, and half-human form.

 **"I will not get caught. I am always cautious and on guard. Every time I sense that someone is coming near me, I transform back to my human form,"** Mark retorted.

 **"Why do you always go in that boy's house in your lion form? You can go there with your human form, it's safer that way,"** asked Taeyong.

He once tries to follow Mark when he went to Donghyuck's house, Mark was just looking at Donghyuck by the window. He really doesn't get it why the boy always go there just to see the younger through the window.

 **"We're classmates. He will know that it's me,"** said Mark. **"Also, he haven't caught me. So, it's still okay for me to go there."**

 **"Where's Jeno, by the way?"** Asked Mark when he noticed that their youngest brother wasn't around.

Taeyong, Mark, and Jeno aren't brothers by blood. They are all adopted by a human, but sadly, their adopted mother died 4 years ago because of a heart attack, leaving them all. Their mother is the reason why they believed that humans are capable of loving and accepting their kind, the wereanimals, but of course, it was only a few of them who really accepted their kind. Mark saw a lot of creatures like them who got killed when they got caught, so they're trying to keep their identity all by themselves. Every time that Mark saw a person or animal in the news or in person, he instantly knows that they're wereanimals because they smell different than normal humans. They smell more like an animal than humans.

Mark is a werelion, he was the biggest and the wildest among the three of them when it comes to their animal form; Taeyong, the eldest, is a werecat— a scottish fold cat to be exact, he was the smallest among the three of them; while Jeno, the youngest, is a weredog— a samoyed dog.

**"Jeno is out. He's probably at Jaemin's place again, pretending to be a stray dog," said Taeyong.**

The three of them are used to in their human form, they prefer their human form actually. But time by time, they went back to their animal form whenever they're inside the house or they go to the forest because it's safer that way.

Their house was out of the town, they are located where there are few houses. Every house was kilometers away from each other, so people rarely see them. They went to school or to the town by car.

Taeyong stood up from the couch.

 **"I'll go to sleep now. Don't forget to turn off the lights before you sleep,"** said Taeyong and then he went to his room to sleep.

Mark understands why Taeyong let Jeno go out in his animal form while he, Mark, always got lectured by Taeyong. That was because Jeno is a dog, every time that people see dogs in the street they'll giggle and want to pet the dog, the vice versa when they see a lion— Mark's sure that people will freak out, probably will faint, and run away when they saw a lion.

Ever since Jeno saw Jaemin two years ago at the general assembly, Jeno was immediately imprinted to the lad. After that, Jeno started to go out and go to Jaemin's house to pretend as a stray dog just to see the lad and hear him talk.

Mark was wondering why Jaemin haven't adopted Jeno. Haven't he wonder why there's always a samoyed near his house? He always feeds and pet Jeno in his dog form but he never adopted the lad.

How long do I have to go there and look at him through the window? Mark asked himself. He couldn't don't that forever. Someday, Donghyuck will found someone else and fall in love. Mark was afraid to tell him that he wasn't a human, that he was the boy who guided him back when he got lost in the middle of the forest.

Mark was afraid that Donghyuck will get scared of him. He doesn't want to be viewed as a monster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be longer but I decided to put the 3/4 to the 3rd chapter.


	4. three

Donghyuck was standing inside the gym with his classmates. They are having their P.E. class as of the moment, the most hated subject of Donghyuck. He doesn't want to run around and be sweaty and be sticky, it's just a good thing that the gym has a roof and was fully air-conditioned, so it's not that hot.

Donghyuck couldn't take his eyes off Mark. Who would have thought that the lad looks so good in his green tracksuit? He looks like a model while Donghyuck thinks that he looks like a walking moss because of their green tracksuit.

Mark was talking to their P.E. instructor. Jaemin said that Mark was the best in their P.E. class, he was the strongest and he's the fastest among all of them, so he's the favorite of their P.E. instructor.

 **"Jaemin, do you know if there's a lion here?"** Asked Donghyuck.

Jaemin nodded, **"Yeah. In the zoo."**

**"No. What I meant is if there's a lion in the forest here?"**

**"People said that they saw a lion in the forest once in a while but they haven't caught one, so I'm not sure if they're telling the truth,"** answered Jaemin.

 _Oh, maybe the lion I saw last time was just a product of my imagination._ Donghyuck thought.

Maybe he got too tired that day that why he imagined that there's a lion staring at him outside his window, also after that night, he didn't he as though someone was staring at him.

 **"Why'd you ask? Do you want to go to the zoo? I can accompany you there,"** said Jaemin.

 **"No, thank you,"** said Donghyuck. **"I just got curious about the lions here."**

After a few more minutes their P.E. instructor called them and gathered them. The instructor divided them into three groups because they are going to play basketball later. Sadly, he was not in the same group as Jaemin. He doesn't know his classmates well and he's still quite awkward with everyone.

But before they start to play basketball, the instructor said that they should do basic warm-up exercises and jogging.

All of them did 10 reps of squats, clapping overhead, shoulder stretch, and jumping jack. Everything was fine at first, it was just a basic exercise. Donghyuck was at ease until the instructor said that they have to run 10 laps around the gym and jog 10 laps after running.

Everyone was exhausted when they reached was 5th lap. Everyone's side starts to ache. They are all sweating and complaining except Mark who was running fine.

They finished the 10 laps of running and jogging and they are all dead tired. They all finished their water tumbler.

Donghyuck was amazed because he didn't see Mark complain because of running and jogging too much. In fact, when they finished it Mark looks so fine. Mark was still at ease like he didn't run 20 laps. Mark breathes faster but he's not panting like Donghyuck and the others. Because of that, Donghyuck admires the older more.

The instructor gave them a 20-minute break before they started playing basketball.

Donghyuck was complaining inside about why the university had to make their P.E class for two hours.

After two minutes, the class started to play basketball. Donghyuck was thankful that his team is second to play, meaning the other two groups will play first and they'll play on whoever loses among the two, he had more time to rest.

Mark and Jaemin belong to the first two groups who are going to play first, they didn't belong in the same group. Jaemin's team and Mark's team have to compete with each other.

The two teams play, they are running around and it was a close match. They kept on catching each other's scores.

This time, it was Mark who's holding the ball. He was running to their court to shoot the ball and the opposing team was also following him and trying to get the ball from him, but Mark was too fast and no one can catch up on him. When Mark threw the ball to shoot it to the ring, he failed. Instead of entering the ring, the ball ended up hitting Donghyuck.

Donghyuck hissed as he almost fell from his seat and his head was now aching because of how hard the ball hit his head.

Mark immediately run to him.

 **"Are you okay?"** Mark asked as Donghyuck caressed his aching head.

Donghyuck nodded slowly, his head still aches.

Mark looked at the younger worriedly.

 **"I am sorry. Do you want me to take you to the clinic?"** Asked Mark and then he touched the lad's head and caressed it to ease the pain.

Donghyuck looked at Mark. He was stunned at his seat. His heart was beating too fast and he can't calm it down!

This is the first time that Mark touches him! This is the first time that Mark was this close to him because in the classroom, even if they are seatmates, Mark would always pull his chair away from Donghyuck.

Donghyuck could not reply. He was in shock.

 **"Hey! Donghyuck! Do you want me to take you to the clinic?"** Mark tried to call the younger's attention who's staring at him intensely.

Still, Donghyuck didn't reply. He wanted to, but his mouth won't open.

 _Did he just say my name?_ Donghyuck thought, he was now panicking because Mark says his name for the first time.

_He said my name! Oh my!_

**"Maybe I should take you to the clinic."**

DONGHYUCK WAS HOLDING a cold compress against his head. He was at home now, sitting on the couch.

He couldn't forget what happened in the gym earlier. He doesn't know if he should be grateful that the ball didn't get into the ring and hit him instead or not. He was happy that Mark talked to him and mentioned his name.

 **"Why are you smiling like that?"** Said his mother as he looked at his son suspiciously. She saw her son smiling widely into space.

 **"No... Nothing,"** said Donghyuck as he avoid to look at his mother. Donghyuck, then, sat properly and removed the smile from his face.

He's sure that his Mom won't stop asking him questions why he was smiling. She'll surely tease him if she found out the reason why.

 **"Nothing? Really?"** Asked Mrs. Lee in a teasing tone.

 **"Oh, I remember I should buy a book for my physics class tomorrow!"** Said Donghyuck then he stood up from the couch and went out of the house. He can buy the book tomorrow but he chose to do it now to avoid his mother's questions.

 **"Take care! Don't stay out too late!"** Mrs. Lee said loudly.

Donghyuck looked up at the sky. The sky was orange and the sun was almost setting. Donghyuck reminded himself to be quick at the bookstore because it'll be dark soon.

Donghyuck put his two hands inside the pocket of his jacket as he was cold and walked to the bookstore. After a 10-minute walk, he finally reached it.

He went inside and find the book quickly. While he was inside, he feels like someone was looking at him. He tried to catch who it was but there's none. Everyone inside was minding their own business.

But still, Donghyuck was uneasy. He tried to catch who was looking at him. Then now, he saw a guy who turned away quickly when he looked at him. Donghyuck didn't see the guy's face clearly as it was standing at the corner of the bookstore.

Donghyuck bravely approached the guy. He tapped the guy's shoulder and the guy turned to him. Donghyuck's eyes widened when he saw who it was.

 **"Mark Lee? Why are you following me?"** Donghyck confusedly asked. **"Are you following me?"**

 **"Why would I?"** Mark denied.

 **"I'm just buying a book for our class tomorrow," s** aid Mark and then he showed the book he was holding at Donghyuck.

Donghyuck sighed in relief. **"I'm sorry. I thought you're the one who keeps looking at me."**

Mark didn't answer. He gulped and avoid Donghyuck's stares.

 **"Uhm... I'm gonna pay now,"** said Mark then he walked away to go to the counter and pay.

Donghyuck followed the older. He went to Mark's behind to wait for his turn to pay. It's just a fast process because there were only a few people at the counter.

Mark paid first, so he went out first.

After Donghyuck paid for the book he bought, he finally went out of the bookstore. It was dark outside and the street looks emptier now.

Donghyuck eyes widened when he saw that Mark was still outside, as though he was waiting for someone.

**"Why are you still here? Are you waiting for someone?"**

Make looked at him. **"Uhm... It's dark now and it's dangerous to walk alone. Would you mind if I take you home?"**

Donghyuck was once again stunned in his place.

 _Did I hear him right?_ Donghyuck asked himself.

 **"I have my car,"** said Mark as he gulped. The atmosphere between them is awkward but Donghyuck was loving it.

Donghyuck slowly nodded at the older.

The two went to Mark's black car. They are both silent while the older was driving. No one dared to say a word. Donghyuck was just looking at the window, trying to stop himself from smiling.

 **"Just at the brown house with a white gate,"** said Donghyuco when he noticed that they are near at his place.

The car stopped in front of Donghyuck's house.

 **"Do you want to come in for dinner?"** Asked Donghyuck before he went inside.

 **"No need,"** Mark politely declined.

 **"Are you sure?"** Asked Donghyuck, and Mark nodded at him.

 **"Who's that, son?"** Asked Donghyuck's mother when she saw her son outside talking to someone in the car.

Donghyuck looked at his mother. **"My classmate, Mom. He just took me home."**

 **"Good evening, Mrs. Lee,"** Mark greeted politely at Donghyuck's mother.

**"You should come inside! You took our son home, so you should eat dinner here," said Mrs. Lee.**

**"No, Ma'am. I can eat dinner at-"**

**"I don't accept any excuses!"** Said Donghyuck's mother as she tried to pull Mark out from the car.

Donghyuck tried to contain his laughter because the Mark looks so helpless in his mother. Mark couldn't protest anymore.

 **"So, how's Donghyuck in the class?"** Asked Mrs. Lee to Mark.

They are at the dinner table right now. Mark was sitting beside Donghyuck while Donghyuck's mother and grandmother are sitting across from them.

 **"He gets along with everyone well,"** answered Mark.

 **"Is he noisy? Talkative?"** Donghyuck's grandmother asked. **"I remember when he was in elementary he won't stop talking even if their teacher was teaching."**

Mark chuckled, **"He's not that talkative, Ma'am. But he talks a lot with his friends there."**

And now, Donghyuck thinks that his grandmother embarrassed him in front of his crush. He couldn't look at Mark.

Later, they heard a scratching sound from the door.

 **"I'll just check it,"** Donghyuck excused himself.

Mark's eyes widened as he sniff gently to the air. He knows that smell! He knows who's the one scratching at the door.

**"Awww, he's so cute."**

Donghyuck went back to the kitchen holding a red cat in his arms. **"Look at this munchkin. He's so cute."**

 **"The cat went here?"** Asked Donghyuck's mother. **"It's rare for cats to knock on someone's door, especially if it's not his owner."**

Mark gulped. It was Taeyong in his cat form. Taeyong was looking at him.

 **"That's... That's my cat,"** said Mark and Taeyong, in his cat form, hissed at him.

The cat let out an aggressive purr.

 **"Really?"** Asked Donghyuck. **"Your cat must've missed you to follow you here."**

Mark nervously nodded.

 **"Let me get him,"** said Mark and then Donghyuck placed the cat at Mark's lap.

Taeyong's claws are piercing through Mark's pants. Taeyong's angry. Mark was sure that his brother will nag him once they got home.

 **"I should go home now. I still have to feed him,"** said Mark, and Donghyuck's mother nodded at him.

 **"Thank you for the dinner,"** said Mark politely and went out of the house.

 **"Take care!"** Said Donghyuck loudly when Mark got inside the car.

Mark closed the door and Taeyong transformed back to his human form. The car was heavily tinted, so they are at ease that no one will see what's happening inside the car.

 **"Hyung! Nag me when we got home, please?"** Mark begged.

 **"Wow, you finally have the balls to show up to that boy's house in your human form,"** said Taeyong, and Mark wasn't sure if that's a compliment or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking if I should make Jaehyun a human or a wereanimal.
> 
> If Jaehyun is an animal. What animal do you think he is?


	5. four

**"Oh, you're here again,"** said Jaemin happily as he saw the white, fluffy dog in front of his house. He keeps on seeing the same dog for two years already.

 **"You really like me, don't you?"** Asked Jaemin as he ruffled the dog's head, and the dog was waggling his tail continuously.

The dog, then, jumped on his lap and Jaemin giggled. The was really fond of him and he loves it. Jaemin likes dogs since he was a kid. He wanted to adopt one but not now, maybe after he graduated college and when he finally has his own place.

 **"How come I haven't seen your owner all these years?"** Jaemin asked as he gently pet the dog, and the dog let out a soft, tiny bark. A bark that you would've mistaken that came out from a puppy.

In the two years that the dog visited him, he haven't seen anyone who are looking for a male samoyed dog. He doesn't know what was the dog's name and where he lives. The dog doesn't look like a stray dog as he was always clean, his fur is always soft and fluffy, he always smells nice, he seems to be eating well too. Jaemin doesn't know why the dog keeps on visiting him but he was happy that the dog was in front of their house almost every day.

 **"You know what, I badly want to adopt a dog,"** said Jaemin and the dog let out a whine, as though he was telling Jaemin to adopt him.

**"Silly dog. You're not a stray dog, stop pretending like one. You obviously have an owner."**

Then Jeno the dog starts to roll himself on the cement, dirtying himself to make it look like he was a street dog.

Jaemin chuckled. **"That won't do anything, pal. Even if I want to, I can't adopt you. My brother is allergic to dogs."**

If Jaemin only knew that the dog in front of him can transform into a human. If he only knew that the dog can speak. If he only knew that the dog was actually his crush Jeno. If he only knew that Jeno also likes him. Would that change anything?

Would he still like him even if he's not a human? Would Jaemin still like Jeno if he found out that the lad was a wereanimal?

And then the dog suddenly stood up from lying on cement and jump to Jaemin's lap immediately. The dog's paw was holding Jaemin tightly and the dog starts to let out a cry as though he was scared of something.

Then after a few seconds, Jaemin saw a small and cute red cat coming in their direction.

 **"Are you... Are you scared of that cat?"** Jaemin asked the dog and the dog let out a cry. **"Aren't dogs supposed to be the one scaring the cat?"**

The cat meowed at the dog and the dog just keeps on sticking to Jaemin. The cat, then, let out an excessively aggressive hissed; the fur puffed up, his back was arched, ears back, and his tail was twitching.

The dog let out a loud cry as he went off from Jaemin and slowly went to the cat's direction with his tail between his legs.

The cat and the dog walked away from Jaemin, like they are going back to their home. Leaving Jaemin who was confused in his place.

Who would have thought that a big dog was scared of a cute, small cat?

 **"What the heck did I just witnessed?"** Jaemin asked himself. **"Did that small cat boss the dog?"**

 **"HYUNG, WHY DO you have to go there?"** Jeno whined at Taeyong when they got back to their house.

They are now back in their human form.

 **"Congrats! Taeyong Hyung fetched you, too,"** said Mark as he sat on the couch, eating his chicken.

 **"Did he fetch you, too, in his cat form?"** Jeno asked Mark.

Mark nodded, **"I was at Donghyuck's house when he showed up. I'm in my human form."**

 **"I was in my dog form..."** Said Jeno. **"Now, Jaemin would think that I'm a coward dog because of Taeyong Hyung."**

 **"He may be doing this to us because he hasn't imprint to someone yet. He's jealous of us,"** Mark teased their older brother. **"He doesn't found his mate yet."**

Jeno nodded in agreement

 **"Jealous... You say?"** Asked Taeyong as he transformed to his half-human form, showing his sharp claws to Mark. **"Do you want me to scratch your body until you two bleeds?"**

Mark and Jeno nervously shook their head. Taeyong maybe the smallest when it comes to their animal and human form, he was the most scary among all of them.

The lion and the dog are scared of a small cat. How funny is that?

 **"You idiots. Can't you remember what day is it today?"** Taeyong asked and the two shook their head.

Taeyong silently rolled his eyes in frustration.

 **"We've been doing this since we were born yet you can still remember it,"** said Taeyong. **"It's a new moon tonight."**

 **"Really?"** Asked Mark as he peak from the window of their house to look at the sky.

Taeyong was right, the moon wasn't visible. It's new moon tonight.

 **"What would happen to the two of you if I hadn't fetch you?"** Asked Taeyong. **"People might see you transform in the streets."**

Every new moon, when the clock strikes 12, they would transform into their half-human form against their will. This was the only time that they didn't have control over their transform. Thus, they have to go back home before midnight comes and hide themselves. They will eventually come back to their human form when the sun rises, but if there's bad weather and the sun won't come, they'll stay in their half-human form until the sun finally rises. That's why when that happens and they have classes, they will not attend their class. This night is the night they have to close their windows binds and close their curtains because they can't let themselves be seen by a human in their half-human form. Anyone would freak out to see a human with animal ears, tails, fangs, claws, and eye color.

 **"We forgot. Thank you, Hyung,"** said Mark.

THE CLASS ENDS and Donghyuck couldn't stop looking at Mark. Mark ignored him like he didn't take Donghyuck home yesterday, like he didn't eat dinner at Donghyuck's place, like nothing happened. And Donghyuck was slightly disappointed.

Mark stood up from his chair and grabbed his bag. Instead of walking out of the room straight like what he did before, he sniffed through the air for a few seconds. Mark's forehead creased and then he finally walked out of the room.

Donghyuck tried to sniff, too, like Mark but he wasn't smelling anything.

 **"Donghyuck! Donghyuck!"** Jaemin called Donghyuck.

Donghyuck looked at Jaemin. **"Why?"**

 **"The handsome senior is back!"** Jaemin announced.

 **"And?"** Asked Donghyuck.

He's really not interested in the 'handsome senior' that Jaemin was talking about. He only has his eyes on Mark.

 **"He's back! A lot of girls are going wild again because of him,"** said Jaemin.

 **"Do you have a crush on him, too?"** Asked Donghyuck.

Jaemin laughed. **"Of course not! I am loyal to Jeno."**

Mark, on the other hand, was following where the scent was coming from. There's another wereanimal around the vicinity aside from them. It smells familiar but he couldn't recall who owns that smell.

He, then, saw Taeyong and Jeno in the hallway.

 **"Do you smell that?"** Asked Mark.

Jeno nodded. **"Ever since I smell the scent Taeyong Hyung was acting weird."**

Mark looked at Taeyong who looks gloomy, he's wearing a frown.

 **"Do you know whose scent is that, Hyung?"** Mark asked.

Taeyong glared at him and let out a low hiss and no mistake, Taeyong definitely knows who's the owner of the scent.

The scent was becoming stronger, it means that the wereanimal was coming near at them.

Mark saw a tall, white figure coming in their direction. As the man passed by, he didn't fail to make the heads of the people in the hallway turn to see his beauty. He was catching everyone's attraction.

 **"Yo,"** said Jaehyun as approached the three brothers. **"It's a fine day today, isn't it?"**

 **"There's no fine in my day since you went back here,"** Taeyong retorted.

 **"Aww, the kitty is mad,"** teased Jaehyun.

 **"So, you're the senior everyone's been talking about,"** said Mark.

Jaehyun and his family left the country for years ago and lived in America for four years. They lived here and Mark knew him since he was young.

 **"Why'd you come back here, Hyung, after four years?"** Asked Jeno. **"I heard it's nicer there."**

 **"I have business with our kitty here,"** said Jaehyun as he tries to touch Taeyong's head to mess its hair but he failed because Taeyong immediately slapped his hand.

Since they were little, Mark and Jeno are aware that Taeyong doesn't like Jaehyun. They didn't know the reason why, but Taeyong was always vocal about his hatred for Jaehyun and Jaehyun loves to tease him.

 **"Don't touch me!"** Said Taeyong sharply.

 **"Hyung,"** Jeno called Jaehyun. **"Don't tell me you're imprinted to Taeyong Hyung?"**

 **"What? No way,"** said Mark. He would definitely freak out if the two are imprinted on each other.

But Jaehyun just smiled widely that makes Mark and Jeno's eyes widened in shock. Taeyong, on the other hand, has his arms crossed and was still frowning, he was avoiding his brothers' gazes.

This only means one thing, the two are really imprinted on each other and Taeyong hates that he's imprinted to Jaehyun.

**"Holy cow."**

IT WAS SUNDAY and Donghyuck was in the mood to go camping in the forest alone. He was determined to do it alone without his parent's help. This time, he makes sure that he won't get lost.

When he got lost in the forest, Donghyuck couldn't recall how he came back to the camping site. Maybe he was rescued by the camping site's personnel or maybe by the police who are looking for him.

Donghyuck has everything in his big backpack. Flashlights and extra batteries, his tent, his food, his medicine kit in case that he got injured, and a map to know his way back, and whistle in case he really got lost.

Donghyuck was wearing a thick jacket to protect himself from the cold temperature of the forest. It was sunny but the forest was still cold.

Donghyuck started walking inside the forest and find the perfect place to camp. He was enjoying the sound of the leaves on the forest floor, he was humming along to the chirping of the birds. Everything was nice and fine.

This is the kind of life you'll get if you live near the forest.

His happiness was erased when he heard a gunshot. Donghyuck was startled in his place.

 _Who's fired that gun?_ Donghyuck asked himself.

After a few minutes, when he didn't hear any gunshot sound, he started walking again. He was on guard now in case that someone dared to fire a gun again.

After a few more minutes of walking, he was a big brown animal lying on the forest floor.

Donghyuck's eyes widened. **"A... A l-lion."**

For the first time, he saw a lion in the wild. He saw a lion before but it was caged in a zoo. This is his first time to see a lion up close, the one who's not in a cage.

As Donghyuck walks closer to the lion's direction, he saw that the lion's left upper leg was bleeding.

 **"Did someone just tried to shot the lion?** " Donghyuck whispered to himself. **"Are they hunting this lion?"**

Donghyuck approached the lion. He doesn't know why but he feels like he should approach the wild creature and help him.

 **"I should stop the bleeding,"** said Donghyuck to himself when he saw the bullet that was covered with blood on the forest floor. Donghyuck was thankful that the bullet didn't enter the lion's body and he was shot on his legs and not to any vital parts.

 **"Hi, lion,"** said Donghyuck carefully as he sat down on the forest floor to get his medicine kit from his bag.

The lion let out a low growl that startled Donghyuck.

Even if he was scared, Donghyuck was determined to help the wounded lion. Donghyuck pulled out his medicine kit from his backpack. He started to look for cotton balls, bandage, and a gauze pad, and his water bottle.

 **"Please don't eat me... Don't eat me..."** Donghyuck chanted as he wet the gauze pad with water. **"I'm gonna help you."**

Donghyuck carefully approached the lion and hold his left paw. Donghyuck was sweating so hard because of nervousness.

 **"Good, Simba... Good,"** said Donghyuck as wiped away the blood from the lion's fur. **"Good lion... Good boy."**

The lion let out a sigh and a soft growl which still makes Donghyuck startled in fear. Who wouldn't be scared when you're tending a lion's wound in the wild? Plus, he doesn't have any knowledge on the lion language.

After wiping the blood away, Donghyuck covered the wound with cotton balls and secure it by bandaging its arm.

 **"Oh my god, good Simba,"** said Donghyuck in relief when he finished tending the lion's wound. 

He's starting to believe that lions are not wild creatures.

Donghyuck, then, heard people talking.

**"Are you sure that the lion run this way?"**

**"I am certain, boss."**

**"That beast wouldn't run away too far. We hit him. We're gonna earn a lot because of him."**

**"Holy shit,"** cursed Donghyuck. **"They shouldn't see you."**

Donghyuck was panicking for the lion. He was thinking hard about how to protect the lion from the people who were looking for him.

Donghyuck, then, decided to cover the lion's body with leaves to camouflage it to the forest floor. After it, he started to get the tent out of his bag and started to assemble it quickly.

Donghyuck saw a silhouette of a group of people coming in his direction. He then placed the tent to a place where it can cover the lion's body.

 **"Hey, young man. Have you seen a lion running around here?"** Asked a man who's in middle the 40s.

 **"I saw it run that way,"** said Donghyuck as he pointed at the north, away from them.

The man nodded and signaled his men to go to the north. Donghyuck stood up for a few minutes there, checking if the men are already far away from them.

When Donghyuck was sure that the men are finally far, he sighed in relief and went back to see the lion.

When he went to the place where the lion was lying, the lion wasn't there anymore. Only the bullet that was covered in blood remained.

 **"So, he finally go back home,"** Donghyuck murmured to himself.

Donghyuck hopes that the lion would come back to his pride safely. Also, he hopes to see the same lion when he go back here in the forest again.


	6. five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DYK?
> 
> The idea of wereanimals came from the yaoi manga titled Kuroneko Kareshi no Asobikata, where the wereanimals are only 1% of the population.
> 
> I won't recommend you to read it if you're below 19 as it contains mature scenes. Like, a lot of mature scenes
> 
> Since I've read it two years ago I couldn't stop thinking of the wereanimals idea and I started to think of nice plot. It took countless time before I finally thought of an interesting plot. Thus, resulting to this fic!

**"Will you stop following me?!"** Taeyong irritatedly asked Jaehyun.

 **"Why would I? You are my mate,"** said Jaehyun as he smiled widely which irritates Taeyong more. He badly wants to erase those irritating smile. It never fails to make his blood boil.

Taeyong wanted to transform in his half-human form and scratch the flawless face of Jaehyun but he can't. They are inside the university, it was broad daylight, and they are gathering attention.

 **"You are aware that we don't have control over our feelings once we are imprinted to someone,"** Jaehyun whispered. **"It's not my fault that I am imprinted to you and you are imprinted to me."**

Taeyong rolled his eyes as he walked faster away from the people. He had to go and find a secluded area inside the university, he badly wants to scratch Jaehyun, but he couldn't do it in public.

 **"Aww, the kitty is mad,"** Jaehyun teased him and Taeyong clenched his fist.

This was why he doesn't want to be imprinted on Jaehyun, the would keep on pissing him off and makes his blood come to his head.

He doesn't like the idea that he was imprinted on Jaehyun, it's like he falls in love with someone and he doesn't have control over his feelings. It's like he fell in love with someone against his own will.

Fortunately, while there were walking. A professor called Jaehyun and the lad have to stop to talk to the professor, and Taeyong took this as a chance to escape.

Taeyong hurriedly went to the other building and climbed up to the 5th floor, to the most secluded library— there are about five libraries among the university but among those five, students and professors rarely went to this library because it's the oldest and most of the studying materials aren't updated.

Taeyong went here every time he review his lessons because he became more focused and when he also wanted to have peace of mind.

Taeyong sighed in relief as he sat down at the table in the end part of the library and rest his back against the chair. Finally, Jaehyun wasn't with him anymore. Since Jaehyun came back here, the lad never leave his side except when he's at home— and Taeyong doesn't want to see his face when he's at home. He needs a break from Jaehyun. He and Jaehyun have the same course, they are in the same department, and the lad was also his classmate in all of his classes! Jaehyun doesn't have a plan to leave his side and Taeyong doesn't like it.

**"You really thought that I won't find you?"**

Taeyong was stunned at his seat. He knows that voice too well. He, then, slowly looked up and he saw Jaehyun standing in front of him.

Who was he kidding? Jaehyun is a wereleopard for pete's sake. He's has a strong sense of smell like Mark and Jeno. They have a better sense of smell than him.

Jaehyun, then, pressed his arms on the table and leans closer to Taeyong. **"D'you really think that I won't see you going to this building?"**

Aside from their great sense of smell, the leopard's greatest asset was their keen eyesight.

 **"You can't run away from me, kitty,"** said Jaehyun as he pressed his lips against Taeyong.

Taeyong eyes widened as Jaehyun kiss him. He wants to push the younger away, he wants to end the kiss, but at the same time, he was craving for the kiss.

In the end, Taeyong gave in and respond to Jaehyun's kisses.

DONGHYUCK WAS STARING at Mark's seat. It was empty and Donghyuck found it unusual. Ever since he studied here, Mark always came to the classroom early. He was the earliest among them in the class, yet today, he's still not in here.

 **"What are you looking in there?"** Jaemin asked.

Donghyuck looked at him. **"He's still not here."**

 **"Maybe he's late or maybe he's stuck in the traffic,"** Jaemin replied.

 **"But I saw his brothers arrived here earlier. He's not with them,"** said Donghyuck.

 **"Hmmm... Maybe he's late? Mark Lee never missed school,"** said Jaemin. **"Also, maybe he's using their other car? As far as I know, the brothers own two cars."**

Donghyuck pouts. He hopes that Mark was just late.

He doesn't know why but since he saw Mark, it's like there's a magnet that was pulling him close to the lad. He always wants to be with Mark. He wanted to talk to him... Just anything that has to do with Mark, he wants to be involved. But he couldn't, Mark was distant to him, it's like Mark was trying to remove the magnet that was pulling them together. Every time he takes a step forward, Mark would take two steps backward.

Donghyuck was certain that Mark doesn't hate him, but he doesn't understand why the lad was so distant to him.

The professor came and Jaemin went back to his seat.

The professor placed his things on his table and said, **"Mark Lee is absent today because of a fever."**

And Donghyuck never felt this lonely in his 20 years of existence.

DONGHYUCK WAS STANDING in front of a big cream-colored house.

After their class, he was uneasy. He's worried about Mark and he wanted to see the lad. He's asking himself who was the one taking care of Mark now that his brothers were still on the campus.

He asked Jaemin about Mark's address, and fortunately, Jaemin knows where they live.

Donghyuck hurriedly went home and grabbed his bicycle to ride it. He couldn't walk on the way there, Mark's place was quite far from them. They live in the most secluded part of the neighborhood, they are near the forest.

After 30 minutes of riding, Donghyuck finally reached Mark's place.

He was standing outside the door, he's nervous. Donghyuck gripped tightly to his backpack before he pressed the doorbell. After a few minutes, the door opened and it showed Mark Lee who's sweating hard.

**"Donghyuck?"**

**"I... I just came to visit you,"** said Donghyuck nervously, he's stopping himself to stutter. **"Can I come in?"**

Mark nodded slowly, and he opened the door bigger for Donghyuck to enter. Donghyuck scanned the house the moment he came inside. It was warm and simple, it's not messy like his room.

After he closed the door, Mark hurried went to the couch and sit there.

 **"Does your fever go down?"** Asked Donghyuck and Mark shook his head.

Donghyuck's eyes widened when he saw that Mark's left arm was covered with bandage. When Mark saw that the younger was staring at it, he immediately covered his left arm with a throw pillow.

 **"What happened to your arm?"** Donghyuck asked. He was thinking that that arm is the cause why Mark's fever won't go down. He how red the bandage is and it only means one thing, the wound wasn't clean enough and he hadn't replaced the bandage yet.

 **"I fell from the rooftop when I tried to fix the tiles,"** Mark Lee answered as he looked away.

 **"We should clean your wound and change your bandage,"** said Donghyuck. **"Do you have a medicine box here?"**

Mark nodded and he pointed at the left, **"At the cupboard in the bathroom."**

 **"I'll just get it,"** said Donghyuck and he went to the bathroom.

When he entered the bathroom, he immediately searched for the cupboard and when he saw it, he opened it and get the medicine box. But before he leaves, he saw how many furs were scattered on the bathroom floor— the furs were white, black, brown, and red.

 _Do they have a dog or cat?_ Donghyuck wondered. But come to think of it, no one barked at him, he doesn't saw cat or any furry animal either.

Then who owns these furs if they don't have a pet? Donghyuck shakes the thought from his head. He shouldn't be thinking of these kinds of things, he should go back there and clean Mark's wound.

Donghyuck placed the medicine box at the coffee table and opened it, he sat on the floor and gently grabbed Mark's left arm, and Mark just watch him as though he was looking at something precious.

 **"How'd you know where I live?"** Mark asked.

 **"I asked Jaemin for your address,"** said Donghyuck as he opened the bandage that Mark was wearing.

When he opened it, he saw a red circular wound at the older's arm.

 _It looks like the wound from the lion I tend yesterday._ Donghyuck thought.

 **"You said you fell from the rooftop, but why does your wound looks like this?"** Asked Donghyuck.

 **"Ah... Uhm... I told you I was fixing the tile, right? My arm pierced through the nail when I fell,"** Mark reasoned out.

Donghyuck nodded as he continue to clean Mark's wound, and Mark was thankful that the younger didn't ask any more questions or else he doesn't know how to answer them.

He couldn't say that he was the lion that Donghyuck saw yesterday. He's certain that Donghyuck would freak out.

He was amazed by Donghyuck's courage yesterday. He didn't think that he would try to save him. He was brave for approaching and helping a lion. Mark wasn't sure if Donghyuck was really brave or was it because he is imprinted at the lad and they have an unexplainable bond.

Donghyuck grabbed the bandage from the medicine box and unpack it, and he carefully wrapped Mark's left arm with it.

 **"It's done!"** Said Donghyuck cheerfully.

 **"Thank you,"** said Mark.

 **"I'll just throw these,"** said Mark and he started to pick up the used bandage and cotton pads.

 **"No, you take a rest. I'll clean it,"** said Donghyuck as he tries to get bandage and cotton pads from Mark.

But instead of getting it, the two lost their balance. Mark ended up falling to the floor and Donghyuck ended up falling on top of Mark.

Their face were so close to each other, so their body. They wasn't sure if they are really hearing their own heart beat or was it just their imagination.

Their lips are so close to each other. Their faces are turning red. They are starting to feel hot.

 **"I'm... I'm hungry,"** said Mark to break the heating atmosphere.


	7. six

Jaemin sighed.

It was lunch and the cafeteria was crowded with students and professors eating their lunch. Jaemin sadly went out of the cafeteria and went to the open cafeteria- the cafeteria outside of their building. The open cafeteria doesn't have any roof or any post, it was just open to the public, they just placed tables and chairs, the students and anyone who's sitting there are exposed to the sun. It's difficult to eat lunch if it was rainy because you can't eat at the open cafeteria as it was wet because of the rain.

When Jaemin went out and see the open cafeteria, he scanned his eyes, and then he sighed again. All of the chairs and tables are occupied.

Donghyuck wasn't with him right now because the lad was busy in the library. Donghyuck chose to finish their current school works than to eat. Jaemin actually plans to do them later when he got home, he just hopes that he wouldn't forget them later.

 **"Where am I going to eat now?"** Jaemin murmured to himself.

Then something came up to his mind. The back of the college building.

There shouldn't be anyone there as of now.

The back of the college building was almost secluded every time. Students didn't like to spend their time there because of the dog that's been staying there, not everyone has a good relationship with the university's dog aside from a few university staff who feeds him, few professors and students.

Jaemin hurriedly went to the back of the college building holding his chicken and bacon clubhouse sandwich.

When he got there, Jaemin smiled at relief. No one was there.

Jaemin then sat at the bench and eat his sandwich peacefully and quietly. After spending 30 minutes finding where he should eat, he finally ate his sandwich.

After a few more minutes, Jaemin felt something licking his foot. He looked down and see the dog.

**"Hi, Pika!"**

It was a small brown dog.

The dog named Pika wagged her tail to Jaemin.

Pika was a dog adopted by the university. She was originally owned by an old student living at the dorm apartment inside the university, but once that the student graduated and left the university, she also left her dog. Pika became a stray dog for weeks until the university decided to adopt her. Professors and students feed her by donating money or dog food for her.

Jaemin was really a dog magnet. First, the white fluffy dog who continuously goes to his house. Now, second, the university's dog.

 **"You want some?"** Jaemin asked Pika. He then grabbed a small portion of his sandwich and gave it to Pika to eat. **"Here you go."**

Pika ate the sandwich and Jaemin continued to eat his sandwich.

After Pika finished her food, which takes literally seconds to finish, he looked up and sniffed the air as though she just smelled something new.

The dog then looked at the left and started to run.

 **"Where are you going?"** Jaemin asked, then he decided to follow the dog.

Pika ran fast and Jaemin jogged to follow her. Jaemin stopped when he saw Jeno, few meters away from him. Jaemin then hide behind the tree.

He likes Jeno for years yet he didn't even have the confidence to approach his crush.

Pika barked at Jeno, she even howled at her. Jeno frowned as though he understood why Pika barked and howled at him. Jeno then barked at Pika.

Jaemin's eyes widened in shock.

 **"What did I just witness? Did he just bark back at the dog?"** Jaemin confusedly murmured at himself.

DONGHYUCK YAWNED AS he continue to read the book.

Was it the right decision to study now? Donghyuck asked himself.

He's been reading a book for almost an hour. His professor on this particular subject forced them to get a reference from a book at their library or else they will be marked zero if they tried to find a reference from the internet or from a book that wasn't belong to the library.

Donghyuck had to do this homework because if he did this on the day before the deadline and the day of the deadline, he might not be able to borrow the book. It's better to do this early.

20 more pages. He had to read 20 more pages but he's already tired and sleepy.

Donghyuck bowed his head on the table. He will take a 15 minutes break to give himself and his brain a rest.

Donghyuck closed his eyes.

After a few minutes since he closed his eyes, he heard someone pulled the chair across from him and sat there, he also heard that person placed a book on the table. Donghyuck didn't open his eyes. The hell he cares who that person was. As long as that person won't disturb his short rest then it's fine.

When his 15 minutes is up, Donghyuck slowly straightened himself from bowing. He even rubbed his eyes and yawn.

His eyes widened when he saw who's sitting across from him.

It was Mark Lee and he was staring intensely at Donghyuck.

Donghyuck felt shy and flustered. He felt conscious about how he looks for a few seconds. Who wouldn't be conscious in your own appearance if your crush just saw you rub your eyes and yawn?

 **"I..."** Donghyuck began. **"Are you doing the homework for Mr. Moon, too?"**

Mark didn't answer. He just stared at him, and Donghyuck felt awkward.

He doesn't know why Mark was staring at him. Does he have something on his face? Donghyuck started to touch his face to remove anything that's in his face, even though there's really nothing in his face. He's starting to feel conscious about himself because Mark was staring at him intensely.

 **"Uhm, what are you staring at?"** Donghyuck asked. **"Is there something wrong with my face?"**

Mark then shook his head. **"No. You are perfect."**

Donghyuck was stoned in his seat.

 _Did he just said that I'm perfect? Did I hear him right?_ Donghyuck asked himself.

 **"What are you talking about?"** Donghyuck asked. He felt his cheeks burn up, he was turning red.

 **"Since you came here you felt like a walking temptation,"** said Mark.

Mark was distant to him since he came here until yesterday and now Mark was telling these kinds of things to him.

**"What do you mean by that?"**

**"You felt so right and so wrong at the same time,"** said Mark Lee, ignoring Donghyuck's question.

**"Would you believe me I say that I like you?"**

Donghyuck was stoned in his place again. He doesn't know what to say.

Now, Mark has finally decided to take the risk. He doesn't care if Donghyuck will be scared of him once he knew his true self, at least he took the risk. Mark felt that as time passes by, his self-control weakens. As long as Donghyuck would keep on trying to enter his world, the wall he built between them slowly falls.

Mark will finally take the risk.


	8. seven

**"Are you serious?"**

Donghyuck couldn't believe what he just heard.

Mark was aloof and distant at him. Mark always avoid looking at him. But then now, he's approaching him and talking to him. He even fucking confessed to him. He approached him first for the first time— Donghyuck didn't count what happened when they were in the bookstore because he was sure that Mark did it out of concern.

Mark went from zero to one hundred real quick.

 **"Do I look like I'm kidding?"** Asked Mark sarcastically.

Donghyuck let out a nervous laugh because the older was still staring at him like he's going to devour him alive. **"No."**

 **"Don't you believe me?"** Mark asked.

 **"Kinda..."** Donghyuck said. It was low but loud enough for Mark to hear.

 **"You went from zero to one hundred quickly, you know,"** Donghyuck added. **"You didn't go on the middle phase."**

 **"Should I?"** Mark asked.

**"What? Should you what?"**

**"Should I go to the middle phase that you're talking about?"** Mark asked. He was dead serious.

Donghyuck didn't respond. He didn't know what to say to the lad. " **Why'd you like me? How did you like me?"**

 **"I already like you since your first day here,"** said Mark.

Donghyuck was thinking of his first day of school. Mark was thinking of the day he guided Donghyuck back to the camping site.

 **"I got instantly attracted to you that very time,"** said Mark. **"I couldn't stop thinking of you."**

Donghyuck wanted to say that when first saw the lad, he already like him, too, but somehow, he couldn't say it. He was speechless.

Who wouldn't be speechless when your crush who was aloof and distant you suddenly confessed that he likes you? It's a shocking experience.

 **"I like you, too..."** Said Donghyuck shyly as he looked down to hide his red face.

 **"I know,"** said Mark.

Donghyuck then looked at the guy with wide eyes. **"You know?!"**

 _God, am I that obvious?_ Donghyuck asked himself. He now wanted the ground to swallow him up because of embarrassment. He really thought that he wasn't obvious and he was doing a very fantastic job of hiding his feelings from the lad.

Mark chuckled and Donghyuck was struck. This the first time that he saw Mark smile and laugh! Donghyuck's heart is now going wild because of it.

Mark just laughed yet he feels like the lad kissed him.

Mark then shook his head. **"You're not."**

 _I know you like me because I'm imprinted to you and that makes you automatically like me._ Mark wanted to say these words but not now. He will take it slowly. He doesn't want to scare Donghyuck.

Mark then stood from his seat. **"I'm going to leave now. I don't want to disturb you anymore."**

**"What? You're going now?"**

**"You're doing your homework. I don't want to distract you,"** said Mark. He knows his effect on the younger. If he stayed here and watched him while he was doing his homework, Donghyuck will surely couldn't focus.

 **"How about you? Have you done it already?"** Donghyuck asked, hoping that Mark still wasn't doing his homework. He would definitely suggest doing it together.

Mark nodded, **"I did it last night."**

 **"See you later, Hyuck,"** said Mark then he patted Donghyuck's head, and then he left the library, leaving Donghyuck who was once again struck.

 _He just touched me! He touched my head! He called me Hyuck! He gave me a nickname!_ Donghyuck thought hysterically as he tried to lower his squeal because of happiness. He was trying hard to not make a loud noise because the librarian might ask him to go out.

 **"My god, Mark Lee! Out of all places, why'd you thought of confessing in a library?"** Donghyuck said to himself as he was trying to contain his squeal.

He then heard a **"Shhhh"** from one of the students there. He looked at that student and mouthed, **"Sorry."**

If he was just out of the library he would be probably screaming and jumping because of happiness. God, Mark Lee really chose a nice place to confess— sarcasm intended.

Donghyuck then heave a deep breath to calm himself. When he's finally certain the he has calmed down, he started to look at his book and paper at the table to continue doing his homework.

He was reading and writing while smiling like an idiot. If anyone saw him right now, he would probably be mistaken as an insane person. Anyone would be scared because of how wide his smile right now.

 **"SO, YOU FINALLY grew some balls,"** Taeyong commented when Mark arrived.

 **"Yeah,"** Mark replied dryly.

 **"So, Jeno, when do you plan to confess to Jaemin?"** Taeyong asked Jeno who's talking to the university's dog named Pika. No, he wasn't talking, he was barking at him.

 **"I don't know..."** Jeno replied, it was almost inaudible but fortunately, Taeyong and Mark's sense of hearing was enhanced because of their animal trait.

The three brothers are currently at the back of the college building. They always went here because students rarely go here. They can have their natural conversation without anyone eavesdropping. They can have their conversation without filtering their words.

 **"What did you do, Mark? How did you confess to him?"** Jeno asked.

 **"I just said it," s** aid Mark. **"There's no other way of confessing than saying it straight. You'll be more nervous if you beat around the bush."**

 **"And that's just it?"** Jeno asked.

 **"Yeah, that's it,"** said Mark.

 **"Did he say that he also feels the same?"** Jeno asked. He was already thinking of confessing his feelings but he was nervous as fuck. He was scared. You may call him a pussy but can you blame him?

Mark nodded.

 **"You have nothing to be scared of,"** Mark reassured Jeno.

 **"Wait..."** Said Mark and then he sniffed through the air.

 **"What, Mark? Who did you smell?"** Taeyong asked and then he and Jeno also sniffed.

 **"I smell Jaemin's scent,"** said Mark.

It was faint but he's sure that it was Jaemin's scent. Jeno and Taeyong probably didn't smell him— if it's faint to him then it's nonexistent to Jeno and Taeyong, he's the one with most sharp sense of smell among the three of them.

 **"Are you sure?"** Jeno asked as he was still trying to sniff Jaemin's scent. **"I can't smell him."**

 **"It's just a faint smell,"** said Mark and then he tries to follow the smell. Jeno and Taeyong just looked at him.

Taeyong then stopped at the tree a few meters away from them. **"He stayed here. He stood here."**

 **"Oh, shit,"** Jeno cursed as he realized that there's a huge possibility that Jaemin saw him while ago when he's talking to Pika.

 **"I have to find him,"** said Jeno and then he walk away fastly.

 _Fuck, Jeno. You're an idiot. Why didn't you check the perimeter first before you bark?!_ Jeno nagged himself as he run and find Jaemin.


	9. eight

**"Jeno?"** Jaemin called when he saw Jeno standing near his house. **"What are you doing here?"**

 **"I'm waiting for you,"** Jeno answered.

 **"For me? Why?"** Asked Jaemin. He doesn't know why Jeno was talking to him. This is the first time that the lad talked to him and it makes him feel something inside him... It's an unfamiliar feeling but it's a good feeling.

 **"Can you come with me? I want it to be private,"** asked Jeno and Jaemin nodded.

The next thing that Jaemin knew, he was at Jeno's car already and the lad was driving beside him.

 **"This is near you place,"** Jaemin commented when the car stopped. They are at the forest's border.

 **"Come with me,"** said Jeno and then he left the car.

Jeno walked towards into forest and even if he was scared, Jaemin followed him. The two walked for fifteen minutes and during that time, Jaemin was sticking close to Jeno because he's scared. He's scared that a snake may appear from the trees or from the forest floor or a wild animal may appear.

Jeno stopped and Jaemin stopped, too.

 **"What do you want to talk about? Why do you have to bring me here?"** Jaemin asked nervously.

 **"Did you saw something unusual while ago?"** Asked Jeno. **"While you are at the back of the college building."**

Jeno found Jaemin while ago. He found the lad inside his classroom but he decided not to talk to him about this topic. It's better to talk to him about this privately and away from humans.

Jaemin then remembered what he saw while ago. He remembered Jeno barking.

 **"No, I didn't,"** denied Jaemin as he shook his head. **"I promise I didn't see anything!"**

Jeno looked at him and chuckled.

 _God, he's so handsome._ Jaemin thought as he admire the lad.

 **"Don't deny it,"** said Jeno. **"I know you saw me... barking."**

 **"And what's with it?"** Asked Jaemin. **"There's nothing wrong with it. I know some people barking at their pet dog."**

 **"Jaemin..."** Jeno began. **"I know you like me."**

Jaemin face reddened. Jeno heave a heavy breath.

 _Remember what Mark said. Don't beat around the bush._ Jeno reminded himself.

 **"I like you, too,"** said Jeno.

Jaemin's eyes widened and his face got more red.

 **"I already like you since the first time I saw you, during the general assembly years ago,"** said Jeno. **"And I have a specific reason why I didn't talk to you or approach you. There's a specific reason why I didn't confess to you until now."**

**"What is it?"**

**"Have you heard of wereanimals?"** Jeno asked.

 **"Were— what?"** Jaemin confusedly asked.

 **"Wereanimals. Humans who have the ability to shapeshift into animals and vice versa,"** explained Jeno.

 **"What about them? It's just a fantasy. A myth,"** said Jaemin.

 _It's now or never._ Jeno said to himself. If Jaemin got scared and saw him as a monster then he and his brothers doesn't have any choice but leave this island and live far away. He just hopes that Jaemin will accept him wholeheartedly.

 **"It's not a myth, Jaemin,"** said Jeno, and then he transformed himself to his half-human form, he's taking this form because he didn't want to shock Jaemin that much. He has white dog ears, a tail that was like samoyed's, a pitch-black eye, and a claws. **"We exist."**

Jaemin gasped in shock. He took a step backward.

" **You..."**

 **"Do you still like me, Jaemin?"** Jeno asked.

Jaemin gulped. He couldn't take his eyes off from Jeno. He then moved forward to the lad which took Jeno aback.

 **"What— why are you coming to me?"** Jeno panicked.

Jaemin ignored the lad and when he's finally a few inches away from Jeno. He touched his dog-like ears.

 **"Woah. This is so soft and fluffy,"** said Jaemin in awe as he continue touching Jeno's ears.

 **"Eh?"** Jeno's confused. Isn't Jaemin supposed to be scared at him now? **"Aren't you scared?"**

 **"You don't look scary to me,"** said Jaemin as he continue touching Jeno's dog ears. **"This is really soft."**

 **"Do you still like me?"** Asked Jeno worriedly.

Jaemin looked at him and smiled. **"Of course!"**

Jeno's face reddened. **"Well... Uhm... This isn't actually my only form."**

And then he transformed into a dog.

**"You look like the dog who keeps on visiting me!"**

Jeno transformed back into his human form and he scratches the back of his head because of embarrassment.

 **"Uhm... I am that dog,"** said Jeno as he look away. **"I keep on visiting you on my dog form."**

**"You are that dog?! Holy pup!"**

DONGHYUCK WAS STRUCK in his place when he saw Mark waiting for him outside of their classroom. He thought that Mark had forgotten that he confessed to him and that they're back to zero because the lad was once again distant to him during their class. They only difference is that Mark didn't move his chair away from Donghyuck and Donghyuck also caught him looking at him for a few times.

 **"Are you waiting for me?"** Asked Donghyuck and Mark shyly nodded.

 **"I thought it'll be awkward for you if I wait inside,"** said Mark. Donghyuck was taking his time while ago on fixing his notebooks and books which are a mess in his desk.

 **"So, shall we go?"** Mark asked.

He and Donghyuck started walking out of the university.

 **"Where are we going?"** Donghyuck curiously asked.

 **"Have you been to the beach?"** Asked Mark.

 _To the beach?_ Donghyuck asked himself. He then realized that he hadn't visited any places on the island since he got back here except for the forest.

Donghyuck shook his head.

 **"We're going there? But I didn't bring any clothes with me,"** said Donghyuck. If there's a sea, they would probably go swimming. **"Should I go back home first and get some clothes?"**

Mark shook his head.

 **"No need. I bought you some,"** said Mark and he handed Donghyuck a paper bag. The younger immediately opened it to look at what's inside. There's a shorts, shirt, and a swimwear.

 **"When did you buy these?"** Asked Donghyuck.

**"Since I decided to confess to you."**

Donghyuck was once again struck in his place. He was speechless. It looks like everything Mark says makes him speechless. Is this normal? He doesn't know.

They rode Mark's ford ranger on the way to the beach. Donghyuck doesn't know which beach they are going since there are tons of beaches in here. He asked Mark but the lad said it was a secret.

The two stopped at the beach where almost no one was there. It took them almost an hour to reach the place.

The cool breeze of the ocean immediately embrace Donghyuck's skin. He feels like he shouldn't go swimming because of how cold the breeze is.

 **"Where are we?"** Donghyuck asked. He was wondering why there are only a few people here.

 **"We're at the end of the island,"** Mark answered. **"People rarely go here because it's hard to travel because of how confusing the roads. It's also dangerous to travel here because of the slippery cliff."**

 **"Why did you chose this place?"** Donghyuck asked.

 **"Because this is my other favorite place aside from the forest,"** Mark answered.

Donghyuck realized that he and Mark both like the forest. They both like going to places which normal people wouldn't consider because of the danger.

The two placed a cloth on the sand and they sat there.

 **"It's nice to jump from the cliff and dive into the sea. It was fun,"** said Mark. Donghyuck looked at the cliff above the sea. It was high. It looks dangerous, yet it was tempting.

 **"Should we go and dive?"** Donghyuck suggested. He wanted to try it.

Mark looked at him and smiled. **"Later. Let's enjoy the breeze and the ocean view first."**

 **"Donghyuck,"** Mark began. **"What will you if you saw something unusual? Something weird?"**

**"What do you mean?"**

**"What if you saw something that you knew only exist in books and myths?"** Mark asked again. **"How will you react? Will you be scared?"**

Donghyuck didn't answer for a few seconds. He was thinking.

 **"Honestly, I don't know,"** Donghyuck answered.

 **"Well, obviously I'll be scared but I don't think I'm the type who would run away because of fear. I'll be scared but I won't judge that thing or creature,"** Donghyuck added as he remembered that day he helped a lion. It was a nerve-racking moment but he stayed and helped the lion.

Mark's heart was put at ease because of what he heard. He just hopes that Donghyuck meant his words.

"Why'd you ask?" Donghyuck curiously asked.

Mark shook his head. **"Nothing."**

If he wants to be with Donghyuck, he shouldn't keep any secret from the lad. He will take it slowly.

Mark, then he rests his head on Donghyuck's shoulders. The younger's heart was beating like crazy again because of the lad's action.

 **"That was all I need to hear,"** said Mark as he holds Donghyuck's hand and intertwined it with his hand.


	10. nine

**"What the heck, Donghyuck! You are dating Mark for a week already yet you didn't even budge to tell me!"** Said Jaemin the moment that the lad stepped into the classroom. Yes, Jaemin was waiting for Donghyuck at the door.

 **"How did you know?"** Asked Donghyuck.

 **"Jeno told me,"** Jaemin answered with all smiles.

It's been also a week since he and Jeno got together. The lad didn't keep any secret from him because he already knew the ultimate secret. Jaemin's family met Jeno two days ago and they had dinner together, after dinner Jaemin's father and Jeno played pool and they had a great time together to the point that his father doesn't want to let Jeno go home. It looks like his father has finally found his dream child. So the next day, Jaemin asked Jeno to visit him again in his home and they stayed in Jaemin's room and watched a movie. Jaemin kept on asking his boyfriend to transform into his animal form and Jeno gladly did it as long as no one would see them.

Donghyuck raised an eyebrow. **"I am still curious how you and Jeno got together. I didn't even see you talk to each other before or even exchange looks."**

Donghyuck wondered how Jaemin and Jeno got together as he didn't see them talk nor look at each other. They never have a class together. Their schedule doesn't match, so there's no time for them to be with each other at school. Jaemin also mostly spends his lunchtime with Donghyuck not until last week. Maybe they are seeing each other outside the university?

Jaemin just smiled at him and shrug off his shoulders.

 **"Don't tell me you made Jeno drink a love potion?"** Kid Donghyuck and Jaemin laugh.

 **"That's nonsense! Who would believe in a love potion nowadays?"** Jaemin replied as laugh.

When Donghyuck reached his sit, Mark was looking at him with a smile. He then smiled as his face got reddened.

 **"Ohh, okay. I'll take my leave now,"** said Jaemin in a singsong, obviously teasing Donghyuck who have red cheeks already.

 **"Hey,"** greeted Mark when Donghyuck sat on his chair.

They have been together for a week but Donghyuck still couldn't get used to this blissful feeling.

Since he and Mark got together, you could almost say that they are inseparable. Mark would always want to near him and when they are also, Mark would hug him or hold his hands all day. Mark wasn't comfortable showing his clingy side to Donghyuck but when there's just a few people around or if it's just them alone, he would be so clingy. Studying together was their way of bonding, if they don't have to study anything then Mark would take him to some places on the island.

 **"I can't send you home today,"** said Mark and then he gently rest his head on Donghyuck's shoulder. **"We have to practice basketball since there's going to be a match next month."**

Donghyuck's mother and grandmother were aware that he and Mark are in a relationship. During the day that he breaks the news to then, his mother even teased him and his grandmother chanted **"I told you! There's something going on between them that night!"** While his mother gave him a silly look.

 **"It's okay. You have to attend it,"** said Donghyuck as he gently caress Mark's head. **"You don't have to send me home every day."**

They still have 30 minutes before their professor for their first subject arrives, so they still have time for a conversation and a little bit of cuddling.

**"But I want to send you home though..."**

**"You can't,"** said Donghyuck. **"Don't you dare send me home and went back here to attend the practice. It'll be a hassle for you and there's a high chance that you'll be late."**

 **"Then can you attend my practice instead?"** Mark asked and then he looked at Donghyuck.

**"Attend your practice?"**

Mark nodded. **"You can just sit at the bench and watch me play."**

He watched Mark play basketball once and he could tell that the lad was good. Mark's advantage was his speed.

Donghyuck nodded. **"Sure. I will."**

Their class for today would end early since they only have two subjects today, so why not watch Mark play basketball before the sun goes down?

 **"DON'T TELL ME you are also part of the team?"** Taeyong hissed at Jaehyun who suddenly appeared at the basketball team's locker room.

Mark and Jeno exchange looked. Donghyuck and Jaemin were sitting beside each other at the bench outside.

The basketball players are currently changing into their clothes when Jaehyun suddenly appears.

 **"Are you that obsessed with me to join in the basketball team just to follow me?"** Taeyong added.

Jaehyun chuckled.

 **"No, I didn't. I am close to the coach, so he let me in here,"** said Jaehyun. **"I just want to have a close watch. I didn't want anyone to stare at your naked body."**

Taeyong's face reddened. Taeyong was topless. He was supposed to put on his jersey shirt when Jaehyun came.

Jaehyun leaned closer to Taeyong's ear.

 **"Now, put that jersey of yours before I rip the eyes of the men who's staring at you,"** Jaehyun whispered. **"You know I can do that, right?"**

Taeyong's face got redder and then he fastly put on his jersey like a good cat.

 **"Good, kitty,"** said Jaehyun as he pat the older's head and Taeyong just stared at him.

Mark and Jeno exchanged looks once again after they've watch Taeyong obey Jaehyun for the first time. Taeyong's been acting a little weird for two weeks already. He was in his usual feisty self but when Jaehyun came, even though he was still trying to be feisty, he was suddenly like a tamed cat after a few minutes. The two brothers didn't know how Jaehyun manage to tame their older brother. Mark wasn't sure if it was a good development between the two.

The coach finally called them out because they are taking so much time inside the locker. They did the basketball training drills first and then after that, they finally played.

It was a serious training for an hour and Donghyuck could tell that the university's basketball team wasn't fooling around. Donghyuck could tell that the three aces in the team are the three brothers— Taeyong, Jeno, and Mark.

 **"Keep playing,"** the coach said because he had to leave for a while. He was called out by a professor, it seems like they are talking about something important. **"I'll be back shortly."**

The boys nodded and continued playing, but after a while, Mark's teammates started teasing him (mainly because the coach wasn't around) and Taeyong and Jeno just let their brother get teased.

 **"Come on, bro,"** said the tallest among them. **"Just once."**

Mark face reddened. He was flustered. Donghyuck couldn't fully understand what they are talking about.

 **"Evan and Jiro did that on their girlfriends before,"** said the other one, referring to their other two teammates. **"It's your turn now."**

 **"Jeno and Taeyong has a boyfriend, too!"** Said Mark. He was trying to put the attention to the two.

 **"Jaehyun wasn't my boyfriend!"** Taeyong denied. **"He's my pet!"**

 **"Fine, fine,"** said Jeno. **"I'll do it after you. You go first."**

 **"Why me? You are the youngest! You should go first!"** Said Mark to Jeno.

Jeno shook his head. **"No, no. You are the older one among us. Be an example to the younger ones."**

Mark couldn't protest anymore. He grabbed the ball from his teammates and dribble it a few times.

 **"Lee Donghyuck, this is for you!"** Mark shouted and then he shoot the ball to the hoop.

But sadly, the ball didn't enter the hoop. It was an embarrassing moment.

His teammates laughed but Jeno and Taeyong laughed harder. Mark's face got redder because of embarrassment.

Jaemin, who was sitting beside Donghyuck was trying his best not to laugh. Donghyuck buried his face on his palm.

For the first time in his existence, he wanted to change his name. Donghyuck wished that the coach will be back soon because he didn't want to see any more of this.

**"God, I love him but this is so embarrassing."**


	11. ten

Mark woke up early in the morning with a smile. Today is Sunday. He was feeling great today.

Mark stood up from his bed and looked at the calendar that was sitting on his study desk.

His smile fades.

Today is the day that he planned to tell Donghyuck about him being a wereanimal. He prepared himself for weeks about Donghyuck's reaction once he knows his real identity- whether he accepted him like how Jaemin accepted Jeno, or run away, or faint, or anything. All sorts of reactions Mark could think of during the past weeks.

He was nervous and scared yet excited at the same time.

The moment that Mark stepped out of his room, he immediately smell fried rice, bacon, and egg. Taeyong was obviously cooking breakfast at the kitchen.

 **"Good morning, Hyung,"** Mark greeted Taeyong who was cooking fried rice. Mark saw fried bacons and omelet egg on the table.

 **"Good morning,"** Taeyong greeted back. **"This will be done in a minute."**

 **"But before you eat, can you check that mailbox?"** Asked Taeyong as he mixes the rice in the pan. **"I saw the postman put something in there but I couldn't check it out since I was busy cooking."**

Mark nodded and lazily went out to open the mailbox. The moment that he opened it, he saw a crimson red envelope lying there alone. He picked it up and immediately went inside the house.

Mark went back to the kitchen. Taeyong was finally done cooking the fried rice because he saw a bowl of fried rice in the table.

Taeyong was just washing his hands on the kitchen sink.

 **"It's the red letter,"** said Mark.

Taeyong was stunned at first then he quickly finished washing his hands and dry it using paper towels.

The red letter is an important letter. Since there are only a few wereanimals in this world, they are doing their best not to extinct. One percent sounds like a big part of the population, it was seventy-eight million, after all. The population of werenanimals were much bigger than France's population. But it's better to take an early action than to watch their fellow wereanimals getting killed.

The wereanimals made an underground society called Animal Society and it's running for a century already. Animal Society seems like a funny name but it works, no one suspects them. It looks like a normal animal institute that was helping animals in need and helping to preserve the nature for animals. The Animal Society does this for two reasons, to help animals since they know and understand animals better than any other human on the planet and to act as a shield from the human world. They look like a normal animal for humans. But in reality, Animal Society was like their government. They have a president and the others that manage them to keep them a secret from humans.

Mark and his three brothers are listed on the Animal Society just to keep all the wereanimals on the list and monitored. They even have a birth certificate on the institute. All the workers on the Animal Society are wereanimals because they couldn't take the risk of hiring a human there as it may expose the wereanimals into the world.

The three brothers don't have any plans to work there in the future, though.

From time to time, the Animal Society send them letters and they call it The Red Letter because the envelope is red. The letter mostly contains announcements from the institute like they are hiring or news about what was happening to other wereanimals on the other side of the world.

Taeyong immediately take the envelope from Mark and opened it. Mark could see that it's just a short message but based on Taeyong's reaction, it wasn't good news.

After reading it, Taeyong immediately tear the paper into tiny bits. They do this every time the institute sent a letter, they don't want to take the risk that a garbage collector might read it.

 **"What does it say, Hyung?"** Asked Mark.

 **"It says that we should be careful and stay discreet. We should limit our transformation. They said that there's a mole in the Animal Society and they are currently investigating it to found out who it was,"** Taeyong answered.

 **"As of now, we should be careful about all of our actions until they found out who it was,"** Taeyong added.

 **"How come that there's a mole there? They didn't hire any humans, right?"** Mark asked confusedly.

The only reason why they keep their existence in the world is because humans are scared when they see something unusual. They are scared of something they thought they would only see in books. And what do humans do when they saw something unusual? They kill them or if not, the put them in a laboratory to study.

 **"I don't know. They didn't say anything about that,"** said Taeyong.

_Shit._

It seems like Mark couldn't tell Donghyuck about him being a wereanimal today.

The more he keep it longer, the more he feels like he's committing a sin to Donghyuck.

 **"ARE YOU REALLY okay?"** Asked Donghyuck for the nth time. Since he and Mark came to the beach, he noticed that the lad keeps on zoning out.

They are at the other beach. This beach was much more crowded that the beach they went to last time. There a lot of people surfing and sunbathing. It was hotter, too, because it's sunnier.

Mark looked at him and nodded slowly.

 **"I am,"** said Mark and he forced a smile.

Donghyuck stared at his suspiciously. He doesn't believe that Mark was okay.

Mark smiled at him and pulled him for a tight hug. **"I just need a hug."**

Donghyuck hugged him back. **"There you go."**

 **"Should we go swimming again?"** Asked Mark after Donghyuck pulled out from the hug.

 **"We just swim a few minutes ago. Let's rest first,"** said Donghuck.

They are both wet. The seawater was still dripping from their hair and shirt. He and Mark are both wearing shorts and a sleeveless top.

They are just sitting on the fine sand.

 **"Do you want a drink?"** Mark asked.

Donghyuck nodded.

 **"What do you want?"** Mark asked.

 **"Just anything that's available there,"** Donghyuck answered.

Mark nodded and left with his wallet to buy drinks.

He saw Mark walking towards a juice stall a few meters away from them. He was just watching Mark buy their drinks. Even though they've been together for a month he still couldn't stop admiring the lad.

Donghyuck then felt that someone was looking at him. He looked around to see who it was then he saw a group of high school boys.

How did he know they are in high school? Because they look young... and dumb.

 **"Hi!"** One of the boys shouted at him and he even waved his hands.

Donghyuck looked away. He wish that Mark came back here quick. He was uncomfortable because of the stares that those kids are giving to him.

 **"What's wrong?"** Mark asked Donghyuck when he came back. He handed his boyfriend a mango juice while he got a watermelon juice for himself.

 **"I just feel uncomfortable,"** Donghyuck answered. **"Those kids keep on staring at him."**

 **"Where?"** Mark asked. Donghyuck saw Mark's facial expression changed.

 **"I'm just ignoring it,"** said Donghyuck, ignoring Mark's question because the older looks like he'll fight whoever makes him uncomfortable.

 **"I'm asking you. Where are those kids?"** Mark asked.

 **"Don't fight,"** said Donghyuck.

**"I won't. I promise."**

**"They are there,"** said Donghyuck as he pointed at those highschool boys who are sitting at the back of a ford ranger. The boys then suddenly looked away from him like they are scared.

Donghyuck wonder why.

Donghyuck looked back at Mark.

He doesn't know if it's just his imagination or because of the sunlight. But he saw Mark's eye color change for a second.

He was certain that Mark has dark brown eyes because he look at him every day. But it became amber for a second.

Maybe it's just his imagination. There's no way a person could change its eye color that sudden.


	12. eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DYK? Lions mates over 100 times a day.
> 
> I just found out about it yesterday. Imagine how exhausted the female lion was.

**"Why do you like nature?"** Asked Mark.

He was driving on the way to the cliff where you can jump and dive to the sea where he first brought Donghyuck when they got together. The cold breezy sea. But it wasn't cold and breezy now, the sun was shining bright and it was quite hot. Today was a good day for diving.

He was driving with one hand because he was holding Donghyuck's hand. The younger seemed doesn't want to let it go. Holding hands for them feels like they are holding each other's like, they could feel every breath just by holding hands.

 **"I don't know,"** Donghyuck paused to think. **"I like it since I was a kid."**

 **"Maybe because it was nature. It was natural. Everything there just grows because it's natural for them to grow. Like they are born to be there,"** Donghyuck added. **"Does that make sense?"**

Mark chuckled and then he nodded.

 **"Yes, it makes sense,"** answered Mark and then he kissed the back of Donghyuck's hands.

Donghyuck's face reddened. These past weeks, Mark was being touchy— and Donghyuck wasn't complaining, he likes it. Mark would always kiss the back of his hand out of a sudden or would sniff it. Sometimes if they are alone or if there are only a few people around them, Mark would pull him for a tight hug and buried his face on his neck and just sniff it like it was the nicest scent he ever smelled and then Mark would plant small kisses onto his neck after.

Donghyuck did not expect to see this side of Mark. He thought that Mark was really a distant person. Like even if you're in a relationship, he would still be distant but he's not. In fact, Mark was more touchy and clingy than him.

 **"I love you,"** said Mark.

 **"I know,"** said Donghyuck. **"I love you, too."**

They didn't say anything more all the way to the cliff. The I Love You's are enough. The atmosphere was nice and comforting enough. They are both smiling like an idiot until they got to the cliff.

 **"Are you sure no one had died in here yet?"** Donghyuck nervously asked Mark as he looked down at the sea from the seaside cliff. It was high. Like really, really high. Maybe it was 30 feet high? Donghyuck doesn't know. He's bad at estimating. He doesn't even know how high 30 feet is.

Donghyuck gulped. Mark laughed.

Donghyuck glared at his boyfriend. **"I am asking you seriously."**

 **"No one had died in here, as far as I know. It was safe. It wasn't rocky at the bottom,"** said Mark, trying not to laugh.

 **"I thought you tried to dive before,"** Mark said. **"But why are you so tense now?"**

 **"When I say before, like when I was still a kid,"** said Donghyuck and then he rolled his eyes. **"And it's not from a cliff. It was in my swimming class."**

 **"At least you know how to swim,"** Mark commented. **"You won't die. I promise. As if I will let you die."**

**"You sure?"**

**"I am,"** said Mark, and then he planed a soft kiss onto Donghyuck's forehead.

Donghyuck wanted to cuss at Mark. Even if he was all nervous, he still never fails to make him like there's a whole zoo in his stomach.

_Damn, Mark._

**"How about this— I will dive first and then you follow, so if ever you can't get back up I'll pull you. Okay?"**

Donghyuck nervously nodded. No matter what Mark says he was still freaking nervous.

 **"What if... What if I decided not to dive while you're already there?"** Asked Donghyuck.

 **"Then I'll swim to the shore and you have to walk down from here to the shore,"** said Mark.

Mark wanted to say that he could just climb up to the cliff but obviously, he shouldn't.

Donghyuck nodded again.

" **Okay..."** Donghyuck murmured to himself, then he closed his eyes. **"I got this... I got this..."**

**"Woo-hoo!"**

Donghyuck's eyes widened when he heard Mark's loud scream and a loud splash of water. He looked down and he saw Mark at the sea.

_Fuck._

That boyfriend of his dived without telling him first. Great. Just great.

Donghyuck was excited to dive in here before but now that he was finally here and all he had to do was to jump, he suddenly wanted to go home. His legs suddenly got jelly.

 **"I got this... I can do this..."** Donghyuck murmured to himself, to cheer himself up.

He saw Mark shouting at him but he couldn't hear it. He was too far away from him.

**"You can do this, Hyuck. You can— AHHHHH!"**

There he jumped.

Donghyuck felt like he hit a stone and then suddenly, he felt a hand pulling him up. When his head finally got up, he cough. He definitely swallowed and inhaled some seawater.

 **"You okay?"** Mark asked as he caress the younger's back.

 **"I... I will not definitely do it again,"** said Donghyuck after he finally catches his breath.

 **"Why not? It's fun,"** said Mark.

 **"For you it's fun but for me, it was a near-death experience!"** Donghyuck complained.

Mark just laughed.

 **"Got on my back. I don't think you have the energy to swim to the shore,"** said Mark. **"I'll just pull you there."**

Donghyuck did what Mark had said. He wrapped his arms around Mark's neck and then Mark swim to the shore.

When they finally got there, Donghyuck immediately lay on the fine side. It was definitely better on the land.

Donghyuck felt something fell on his face. He gets it away from his face and he opened his eyes. It was a towel.

 **"Dry yourself,"** said Mark.

 **"Dry me,"** said Donghyuck.

 **"The last time I remembered you are old enough to know how to dry your self, Hyuck,"** said Mark.

Donghyuck glared at him. **"Please?"**

 **"I don't know if you are asking nicely or threatening me,"** Mark murmured as he grabbed Donghyuck's towel. It was low enough to be inaudible for the younger.

**"Were you saying something?"**

**"Nothing!"** Said Mark and then he started drying Donghyuck.

Donghyuck smiled as he closed his eyes. This is what he likes when someone's dry you. It feels like they are also giving you a massage. It was relaxing.

After a few more minutes, Donghyuck couldn't feel the towel anymore against his skin. He suddenly felt Mark's lips on his neck.

Mark was kissing his neck. But unlike the normal neck kisses that Mark gave to him before, this was slower. It was more addicting. It feels more sensual.

 **"I'm just getting my payment,"** said Mark. He was finally done kissing Donghyuck's neck.

**"I didn't know that I have to pay—"**

**"I am not done yet,"** said Mark that cut off Donghyuck's sentences, and then he pressed his lips against the younger.

He was kissing him and Donghyuck gladly respond to those kisses. Mark was licking Donghyuck's lower lip and Donghyuck just let out a soft moan. Mark really likes his lower lip, like it was a lollipop. He likes licking it and sucking it until he was satisfied.

Mark then pulled Donghyuck to sit on his lap. Donghyuck wrapped his arms around the older's neck which makes the kisses deeper.

Mark then bites Donghyuck's lower lip which made the younger gasped softly. Mark then entered his tongue inside the younger's mouth.

Who cares is they are making out outside? It's just the two of them on the shore anyway.

 **"ARE YOU SURE it was okay for you to be home late today?"** Mark asked.

They are finally driving back to the town. It was late at night. It was almost midnight.

Donghyuck nodded.

 **"I'm old enough. They won't scold me anymore,"** said Donghyuck. **"Besides I'm with you. They are at ease."**

Mark nodded and focused on driving.

Mark's phone then vibrates.

 **"Can you check who texted me?"** Mark asked. Donghyuck then reached for his phone and opened it.

 **"It's from your brother,"** said Donghyuck. **"He says to be home before midnight or else he'll kill you."**

Mark was certain it was Taeyong. Jeno would never send a message like that because even though he was mad, Jeno would still put a heart emoji on his messages.

It was a long ride before they reached Donghyuck's house. The cliff was quite far from their place after all.

They are still in the car. The lights on the younger's house were all off.

 **"Goodbye,"** said Mark and then he pecked a kiss onto the younger's lips.

Donghyuck's face reddened. **"Goodnight."**

But before he could leave the car. He saw Mark's grew animal ears, his eye color changes, the nails on his eyes grew longer and sharper.

Donghyuck was stunned.

 **"What are you staring at?"** Mark confusedly asked.

Did he just saw fangs?

But before Donghyuck could say a word, he fainted.

Mark panicked. Then he saw his reflection in the mirror.

Fuck. He transformed without him knowing.

He then looked outside. There was no moon.

How did he forget that it was a new moon tonight? This is the night that he would completely lose his control over his transformation. Every wereanimal was like this every new moon. They would just transform on their half-human form when midnight strikes.

What is he going to do now? He couldn't go out looking like this.

But what's worse, Donghyuck fainted at the sight of him.

**"How am I going to explain this to him? Fuck."**


	13. twelve

**_"Mom! I told you! The kid with ears like this was the one who guided me back to the site!"_ ** _The 6-year-old Donghyuck explained to his mother. He was trying to convince her parents about the kid who guided him back to the site. He even put his palms on her head to act like a lion ears._

**_"Son, there's no such human with that kind of ears,"_ ** _his mother ignored his words._

**_"Maybe he got too creative because of watching too many cartoons,"_ ** _he heard his father said to his mother._

**_"No, I really saw it!"_ ** _Donghyuck insisted._ **_"He even has yellow eyes, fangs like a dog, and long nails!"_ **

_Donghyuck kept on explaining and insisting to everyone that what he saw on the night that he got lost in the middle of the forest was real, but no one believed him._

_Who would believe in a story of a 6 years old child?_

_Everyone kept on saying that it was just his imagination and maybe his mind got too creative because of watching cartoons with tons of animal characters in it._

_Everyone kept on insisting that it was just his imagination until he gave up and believed them that it may be really just his imagination._

DONGHYUCK woke up to an unfamiliar room. He roamed his eyes around the cream-colored room. He saw a desk on the side and two cabinets next to it. He then saw a picture frame with Mark's face in it.

This must be Mark's room. Donghyuck thought. But why am I in his room?

He then looked at his clothes. He was not naked. They did not have sex. Donghyuck then tried to remember what happened last night and why he was in this room. The last thing that he could recall was that they were in a car and when he was about to go out, he saw Mark changed.

 **"Was that a dream?"** Donghyuck wondered.

He heard the door opened and he looked in its direction. He saw Mark. He looks like Mark. He looked normal. He doesn't look like the one in his dream.

 **"How are you feeling?"** Mark asked as he sat on the side of the bed.

 **"I'm okay,"** answered Donghyuck.

 **"How did I end up here? What happened last night?"** Donghyuck asked. **"I'm sorry but I can't seem to remember what happened last night. But I had a dream though, I saw your face changed in my dream."**

Mark gulped. He looked down.

Donghyuck looked at him worriedly. **"What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"**

Mark shook his head.

Donghyuck then saw Mark's brothers, Taeyong and Jeno, at the door.

 _He believes that it was a dream. Should I still tell it to him?_ Mark asked himself, but then he smelled his brother's scent and he felt their presence.

 **"What you saw last night..."** Mark began. "It was not a dream."

Donghyuck looked at him, he was confused. Donghyuck's forehead was creased.

**"What do you mean?"**

**"I... Uhm..."** Suddenly, Mark doesn't find the right words to say. This was never easy. He was scared to see how Donghyuck would react to anything he was about to say. He was scared that Donghyuck might not accept him. He was fucking scared.

Mark could feel his insides squirming because of nervousness.

 **"Me with animal ears, different eye color, longer and sharper nails, and fangs... It was all true,"** said Mark. He looked straight into Donghyuck's eyes but all he could see was confusion. **"It wasn't a dream or imagination. It was all true, Hyuck."**

Donghyuck couldn't believe what Mark said to him. He was too confused and shocked.

**"How... How can you do—"**

**"I am a wereanimal,"** said Mark. He cut off Donghyuck's sentence.

 **"I am human but I am not a human at the same time. I have the ability to shapeshift myself into an animal. We have three forms: our human form, our half-human form, and our animal form,"** Mark explained as he looked down. He was too scared to see Donghyuck's reaction. **"There are only a few of us and we are hiding ourselves from humans."**

 **"Last night was a new moon and during that night we lost our control over our transformation when midnight comes and we just suddenly transform into our half-human form and we'll just be able to get back on our human form when the sun finally rises,"** Mark explained more.

**"I am a lion. Jeno is a dog. Taeyong is a cat."**

Donghyuck looked at Jeno and Taeyong who was at the door then he looked back to Mark was sitting at the bedside.

 **"This is too much to take in,** " said Donghyuck. **"I thought it was just a dream, but it turns out that it was real."**

Mark looked at his brothers who were standing at the door. **"Can you leave us first?"**

Taeyong and Jeno nodded at him and then they left and closed the door.

Mark looked back at Donghyuck.

 **"I am sorry. I know this is too much to take in,"** said Mark. He couldn't say anything but to apologize. **"You must be probably still in shock."**

Donghyuck looked at Mark. Mark looked scared.

 **"I understand if you will end your relationship with me,"** said Mark that shocked Donghyuck. That never crossed to his mind. He did not even think of it.

What's important for Mark was to keep their identity a secret to the public. He was not expecting Donghyuck to still continue his relationship with him after all that he knows. Not everyone was like his adopted mother or Jaemin. Who would want to be with someone like him? Only a few people can accept them.

 **"Are you scared?"** Donghyuck wanted to say and ask a lot of things but those were the only words that came out of his mouth.

Mark nodded slowly.

 **"Hell yeah. I am. I am scared to look at you and see your reaction. I am scared to see what will happen after this... I am scared of everything."** _I am scared that you might leave me._

Donghyuck was speechless. He felt like he should say something but his mouth remain closed.

 **"Donghyuck, can you keep everything you know a secret? Please, don't let other people know what we are,"** Mark begged.

**"I... I wanna go home."**

**"All right. I will take you home."**

Donghyuck shook his head. **"I want to go home alone."**

Mark was stunned for a few seconds, but then he came back to his senses when he realized why Donghyuck wanted to go home alone.

Mark slowly nodded.

The two went out of the room and Mark escorted Donghyuck until to the door. Mark stayed at the door until he couldn't see Donghyuck anymore.

Mark closed the door and when he turned his back, he saw Taeyong and Jeno.

 **"I asked him to keep it a secret and not tell anyone,"** said Mark.

Taeyong was mad. He was very mad. He already scolded Mark when he came back a few hours ago with the unconscious Donghyuck. He scolded Mark for an hour and the only words that came out from Mark that entire time was **"I am sorry."**

But Taeyong being silent was a different level of mad.

Taeyong then stood and heave a heavy breath.

 **"We couldn't be at ease. He didn't promise that he will stay silent,"** said Taeyong.

 **"Pack your things. We have to be ready anytime to leave this place,"** Taeyong added then he went to his room to pack up his things.

Jeno looked at Mark. He felt sorry for his brother, but Taeyong was right. They have to be prepared to leave any moment from now. They are not sure whether Donghyuck will stay silent or not. Jeno then left to go to his room and pack his things.

Mark was left all alone in the living room. He wanted to cuss so bad, but this was all his fault.

Whether they would stay here or leave depends on Donghyuck's actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just discovered the use of rich text format dusjss imma make all the chapters use rich text format.
> 
> And my class is about to start next week. I may not be able to update as frequently as I did before.


	14. thirteen

Donghyuck heaved a deep breath as he sat on the bedside. He just came from the shower and the water was still partly dripping from his hair, causing his shirt to be partly wet.

Donghyuck then messed his wet hair. He just could not believe what he heard today. Good thing that Mark just let him go home alone. Good thing that neither his grandmother nor mother asked him why he just got home today.

Good thing that no one bothers why he looks like a mess today, because if someone dared to ask he doesn't know what to say.

Donghyuck was sure that he wasn't scared of neither Mark nor his brothers. He just had this unsettling feeling inside him that he doesn't know how to describe.

Everything that Mark had said to him a few hours ago was too much for him and his brain to understand.

So, he needed more time alone to think through it. Donghyuck was sure about three things: He wasn't scared of Mark. He doesn't have any plans to expose them to the public. And he still wanted to see the lad.

Is it wrong to still want to see Mark after all of this?

When he saw Mark's eyes trembled while ago in fear, Donghyuck just wanted to pull the older into a tight hug, but somehow, his body won't move from its place. He wanted to touch Mark to calm him down but somehow, he couldn't. He just stared at Mark the whole time until hear the words _"I wanna go home"_ came out from his mouth.

Donghyuck now wondered if Jaemin was aware of this. He was Jeno's boyfriend, after all.

 _Maybe I'll ask Jaemin tomorrow._ Donghyuck thought.

It was dawning. It was getting dark outside.

Donghyuck absentmindedly went through the window to watch the sunset. Watching the sun goes down somewhat makes him calm for awhile. He opened the windows and the cool breeze soothes him. As though the sun and the breeze was telling him that there was nothing he should worry about and that he should let things where they should be.

After a few more minutes of watching the scenery from his window, Donghyuck felt that someone was watching him. It was dark already and the sky was dark purple and the breeze was now colder. Donghyuck roamed his eyes around, trying to find who was watching him.

Donghyuck's eyes squinted when he saw a figure from afar. A man was standing behind a big, tall tree. Donghyuck tried to take a closer look at the man by leaning on his window.

It was Mark in his human form. He was wearing jeans and a black shirt. Even if he was small because he was so far away from Donghyuck, he still could see Mark's brown eyes. Those eyes that never fails to make the younger's heart flutter.

 **"Mark! Mark!"** Donghyuck shouted to call the older who was standing from afar. He was hoping that Mark would come closer. He doesn't know what was Mark doing there and why he was standing there.

 **"Mark Lee!"** Donghyuck shouted again but Mark was fast to turn to his back and run away.

DONGHYUCK WAS WALKING fast on the way to the classroom. He wanted to see Mark. He wanted to ask him what he's doing there last night and why he was watching from that distance. But to Donghyuck's disappointment, Mark was not at his seat. The chair beside his was empty.

Donghyuck sat on his chair with a gloomy expression.

 **"What's up?"** Jaemin approached him with a lollipop in his mouth. **"You look... Sad. It's unusual."**

Donghyuck, then, remembered that he had to ask Jaemin if he knew about what kind of human the brothers are.

 **"Jaemin, can I talk to you?"** Asked Donghyuck.

Jaemin nodded. **"Sure. About what?"**

 **"Let's go out,"** said Donghyuck. **"It's something private."**

Donghyuck would never do anything that may risk Mark's exposure as human-animal... Or whatever they called.

It was still early and the professor was still not there, so, the two went out of the room and walked to the back of the building.

 **"What do you want to talk about?"** Jaemin asked.

Donghyuck looked around, checking if there was anyone there. When he was sure that it's just him and Jaemin, he finally answered the lad.

**"Do you know that, uhm, Mark and his brother is, uhm, not—"**

**"Wereanimals?"** Jaemin finished Donghyuck's question as he noticed that the lad was having difficulty saying that word.

Donghyuck shyly nodded. He was now sure that Jaemin knew about it as he knows what they are called.

 **"Of course, I know,"** said Jaemin. **"Jeno and I started dating since the day he told me about it."**

 **"Did Mark told you about it?"** Jaemin asked.

Donghyuck nodded.

 **"But it was more like I accidentally discovered it. He transformed out of his will in front of me,"** Donghyuck answered.

 **"I wonder what Mark looks like,"** mumbled Jaemin.

 **"What was your reaction when Jeno told you about it?"** Donghyuck asked.

 **"I was shocked and taken aback for a while, but it's just a natural reaction,"** Jaemin answered. **"But I found his ears cute at that moment. Those fluffy white ears."**

Donghyuck remembered the night he saw Mark's half-human form. Those brown lion ears that Mark has, Donghyuck started to wonder if they were soft and fluffy, too.

 **"How did you accept it? Why did you accept it?"** Donghyuck ask.

Jaemin looked seriously at Donghyuck. **"Why won't I accept it?"**

_Why would I won't accept it?_

**"Look, Hyuck. Listen to me,"** Jaemin began to explain. **"They are honestly no different from us. They just have the ability to shapeshift into animals, but aside from that, they are no less of a human. They are still human. They still think like a human. Jeno told me that unlike animals, they did not consume by their animal instincts, they still have their own mind when they're in their animal form. You can just think that you are in a relationship with a foreigner, you grew up in a different environment and you look different to each other."**

Donghyuck was silent. He doesn't know what to say to Jaemin.

 **"Ask yourself, Hyuck. Do you really love Mark on who he truly is or you are just attracted to him because he makes you feel something because of how he looks at you?"** Jaemin asked.

_Do I really love him...?_

**"Because, Hyuck, if you really love him, him being a wereanimal won't really matter to you,"** Jaemin added.

Donghyuck was speechless. He was confused. Donghyuck, then, felt Jaemin pat his left shoulder.

 **"Think about it. The decision is yours, bud,"** said Jaemin and then he left Donghyuck there alone and confused.

_Do I really love Mark?_

DONGHYUCK WAS HESITATING to knock on the door of Mark's house. Mark had been absent for two days straight and he was worried about the lad. Jeno and Taeyong still go to school, he even saw Jeno while ago with Jaemin, though he did not say anything to him.

The door opened before Donghyuck could knock, he saw staying standing by the door.

 **"What are you doing here?"** Taeyong asked.

 **"Is... Is Mark there?"** Donghyuck asked. **"He's been absent for two days straight now."**

Taeyong stared at him for a few seconds before he answered Donghyuck.

" **He's in the forest. Thinking,"** Taeyong replied.

 **"If you are going to say something that he doesn't want to hear, I advise you to don't say it and just avoid him. Mark will probably less hurt by that,"** Taeyong added and then he shut the door close.

Donghyuck started to walk inside the forest. He doesn't have a clue where Mark was. He was just walking blindly inside. He just hoped that he won't get lost or be bitten by a snake here.

Donghyuck put his hands inside his pocket. It was getting colder, the cold breeze and the mist wasn't helping at all. He was walking slowly because of the cold and his vision wasn't clear anymore because of the mist that's starting to thicken.

**"Donghyuck?"**

Donghyuck stopped when someone says his name. He knows that voice. It belongs to Mark.

 **"Mark?"** Donghyuck tried to look around to find Mark but the mist was too thick that he couldn't see any figure.

Donghyuck gasped in shock when he felt someone hold his wrist.

 **"Relax. It's me,"** said Mark behind Donghyuck. The younger could feel Mark's body behind him.

 **"Let's get out of here,"** said Mark as he pulled Donghyuck out of the forest. Donghyuck was just silently looking at Mark's behind, he was just following him silently. Donghyuck couldn't believe that Mark was finally in front of him. He was finally seeing Mark. He couldn't believe that Mark was touching him. He couldn't believe that he can now feel Mark's warm body. He was gone for only two days yet Donghyuck felt like he hasn't seen Mark for years.

 **"What are you doing there?"** Mark asked when they got to the forest's border. Donghyuck could see Mark's house from their place. **"You're still not familiar with it, aren't you?"**

 **"I was looking for you,"** replied Donghyuck, and Mark's heart skip a beat.

" **Why?"** Mark nervously asked. He was hoping that Donghyuck didn't look for him to say that he wants to end his relationship with him or else he might lose his sanity.

**"Why are you absent?"**

**"Is that what you really wanna ask? You wasted your time just to ask me that?"** Mark asked.

Donghyuck pressed his lips tight and shook his head slowly.

 **"Mark, about you being a wereanimal..."** Donghyuck nervously began. Mark was looking at him, patiently waiting on what he was going to say.

 **"I love you,"** said Donghyuck. He could not find the right words to say, all he could think was that three words.

Mark was stoned at his place.

 **"What?"** Mark asked when he finally got back to his senses. He was confused.

Donghyuck didn't reply. Instead, he cupped Mark's face and pressed his lips against the older. Mark was stoned again in his place, but after a few seconds, he kissed Donghyuck back. Mark was still confused because of the younger's actions.

 _Does it mean he still loves me? Does it mean that he accepts me?_ Mark asked himself.

Donghyuck continued to kiss Mark. God, those two days felt like a year for him. He missed Mark. He missed him so much. Mark on his lips felt unreal, he still couldn't believe that Mark was in front of him and he was kissing him. God, those soft, warm lips of him was now on his lips again.

 **"I missed you,"** said Donghyuck after he pulled away from the kiss. He was catching his breath.

Mark looked at him. **"Does it mean that you still love me?"**

Donghyuck wanted to hit Mark's head.

 _He's so slow. I can't believe that he is this slow._ Donghyuck thought.

Instead of answering Mark's question, he pecked a kiss on him. **"Is it enough to answer your question?"**

Mark smiled at him and hugged him tightly. Donghyuck gladly hugged him back.

 **"I missed you,"** said Mark as he buried his face on Donghyuck's neck and sniff. **"I missed you so much. I missed your warmth. I missed your voice. I missed your kisses. I missed your scent."**

God, those two days felt like a torture for Mark.

Donghyuck then felt that his neck was getting wetter. No, it's not sweat. It feels like it's tears.

" **Mark, are you crying?"** Donghyuck asked his boyfriend who was still hugging him tightly.

Mark shook his head slowly, but Donghyuck heard a sob. " **Mark, you are crying."**

 **"I'm just happy,"** said Mark with a hoarse voice. **"I thought you'll never love me. I thought you'll avoid me. I thought I'll never have the chance to hug you again. I thought it was over for us. I got scared, Hyuck. I was so fucking scared."**

Donghyuck caress Mark's back, to calm the older down.

 **"I am here now,"** hush Donghyuck. **"I won't go anywhere, Mark."**

 **"I am here and I am yours, Mark,"** Donghyuck added.


	15. fourteen

**"Ehem."**

Mark and Donghyuck suddenly pulled away from each other's embrace when they heard a fake cough and the door of the room clicked.

It was Taeyong. He entered the room with a plate of sandwiches in his hand and he silently placed it on the nightstand and leave the room without saying a word or making a sound aside from the fake cough earlier. Mark could tell that his brother was still hesitant over Donghyuck and he understands it completely. Taeyong was still not okay with the idea of Donghyuck being inside their house because of what had happened a few days ago but he still lets Mark do what he wanted. Taeyong was being extra careful with every human they met because of what happened in the Animal Society. As long as they haven't solve the problem, Taeyong won't be at ease. They have to be extra careful about everything.

 **"Is Taeyong Hyung mad?"** Asked Donghyuck.

Mark shook his head and looked at Donghyuck with a smile. **"He's not. It's just... He is still thinking if we can trust you."**

 **"You can trust me! I swear I am not noisy! I will keep this all a secret!"** Said Donghyuck while he was raising his right hand in the air as though he was reciting a pledge.

Mark chuckled. **"I know. I trust you."**

Donghyuck, then, slowly put his hands down as he nodded. **"Can I ask you questions? I am curious about a lot of things."**

Mark nodded. **"Sure. But I can't promise you that I can answer all of your questions. There are some things that I have to keep from you."**

Donghyuck nodded. **"I know. I won't force you "**

 **"I know that this is a stupid question, but is this hereditary?"** Donghyuck asked.

 **"I told you, it's okay to ask questions. I know you are curious about a lot of things,"** said Mark. **"Yes, this is hereditary."**

**"If that's so then your parents are also wereanimals? But why does the three of you are different from each other?"**

Mark nodded slowly. **"But I've never really met my biological parents, so does Jeno and Mark. Our parents adopted us since we were babies and we really don't know anything about our biological parents. We have human parents but they died because of old age, so, it's just the three of us here. We are also not really related to each other, we're just all wereanimals."**

Donghyuck went silent for a few seconds as he started nibbling his lower lip because of what he just heard from Mark. He didn't think that that was the real story. He didn't think that Mark was adopted. Donghyuck couldn't imagine how hurt Mark was when he found out that he was adopted. When Donghyuck knew about his parents' divorce, he hot hurt but he accepted it in the end because he saw how his parents destroyed each other and how they became happier without each other in the end. He still got contact with his father everyday and he still feels loved. But Mark? His parents just left them the moment he was born.

Sure, everyone's got their own reasons but he just couldn't imagine how a parent can leave their baby just like that.

**"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked."**

Mark smiled and put his hand on the top of Donghyuck's head and messed it. **"It's okay. Don't be sorry. I don't have any memories with them, so, it's not really painful when someone asks me that."**

**"But... But aren't you curious about them?"**

**"When I was still a kid, I am. But now? No. They can talk to me and approach me if they want to but they didn't,"** Mark answered straight.

And again, Donghyuck went silent for a few seconds. **"Uhm, okay, I'll think another question."**

 **"Haven't you remembered that we met before?"** Mark asked, trying to divert the topic. **"I honestly thought that you would recognize me when you transferred here."**

 **"What? We did?!"** Donghyuck surprisedly asked because he couldn't recall Mark in his memories. **"When? Where? How?"**

 **"When you were six, in the forest. I think you went here with your family to have camping,"** Mark answered.

Donghyuck's eyes widened as his mouth formed an 'O' shape. He thought that memory was a product of his imagination as a kid because his parents insisted that it wasn't true and that was just his imagination.

 **"Can't you remember that you got lost and I guided you back to the camping site, you even saw me on my half-human form because I still wasn't able to transform to my human form that time. I thought you'll freak out but you didn't,"** said Mark. **"Don't you remember it?"**

**"I thought that's just my imagination! You are Simba!"**

Mark laughed when Donghyuck mentioned the nickname he gave to him when they were still young. **"You are the only one who calls me Simba."**

 **"Really? Your brothers won't call you Simba? Lion King is famous as hell!"** Said Donghyuck, disappointed because Jeno and Taeyong didn't call him Simba. It's a perfect nickname for Mark!

**"We don't really like cartoons."**

**"Cartoons are literally the best thing the world!"**

**"No. You are the best thing in the world,"** said Mark without breaking his eye contact with Donghyuck.

 **"Okay, Mark Lee, shut up,"** said Donghyuck and then he turned his back to Mark Lee to hide his reddening face. Donghyuck didn't expect Mark to say something like that without being embarrassed.

Donghyuck liked it, it's sweet, but he didn't imagine Mark to say something like that. He always imagined that he was the one who would say cringey stuffs.

_God, Mark Lee, you're making my heart crazy!_

**"Did I say something wrong?"** Asked Mark. He panicked because Donghyuck suddenly turned his back to him.

 **"Are you mad? Did I do something wrong?"** Mark continues to ask Donghyuck as he tap the younger's arm, trying to make Donghyuck face him. **"Donghyuck, talk to me, please. Say some—"**

Donghyuck silenced Mark by kissing him suddenly. Mark's eyes widened in surprise.

 **"You idiot, you really never fails to surprise me,"** said Donghyuck. First, when Mark suddenly confessed to him. Donghyuck really thought that Mark wasn't interested at him because he never saw the lad spare a glance at him. Second, when Mark suddenly transformed in front of him. Third, when Mark said that they've met before. Fourth, when Mark suddenly said a sweet-cringey stuff.

Mark Lee was full of surprises.

 **"What did I do?"** Asked Mark, clueless.

 **"You're really an idiot,"** said Donghyuck and then after, he sealed Mark's lips with his and Mark gladly kissed him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is supposed to be longer but I've decided to cut it and put the next scene on the next chapter.


	16. fifteen

**"Mark, I swear, I won't go anywhere,"** said Donghyuck, reassuring Mark.

Mark was holding on his hands tight, wanting to come with Donghyuck to the faculty room. The professors wanted Donghyuck to go there because they wanted to discuss something with Donghyuck.

But Mark didn't answer, he just let out a small, cute whimper like a dog. Mark's got doey-eyed, obviously pleading his boyfriend to tag him along. His hands were holding tightly to Donghyuck.

 **"You can wait for me at the door,"** said Donghyuck.

Since they got back together last night, Mark was being extra clingy to Donghyuck since they met this morning. His clinginess were too obvious that their classmates noticed it. Some are even fascinated to see Mark acting this way like it was new for them— well, it was really new for them. Mark was mostly silent on his seat at the back and this rare to see him clingy. Jaemin even described it as "Creepy." At first, Jaemin was curious to see this side of Mark, but now that he had seen it, he wanted to bring back the silent Mark.

 **"Why can't I come with you?"** Mark asked.

**"Did they say Mark Lee?"**

Mark shook his head.

**"Did they mention your name?"**

Again, Mark shook his head. His held onto Donghyuck's hands were tighthening.

 **"Then you won't go with me,"** said Donghyuck, loud and clear.

**"But—"**

**"No more buts, Simba,"** said Donghyuck. **"I'll be quick there, I promise. Just wait for me outside."**

Mark pouts and slowly nodded like a defeated cub. **"Okay..."**

Donghyuck cupped Mark's face and squeezed it. **"God, stop acting like I'll go abroad. I'll just go to the faculty room."**

**"Okay..."**

Donghyuck raised his eyebrows.

 **"Mark Lee,"** called Donghyuck in a warning tone.

**"Fine! Fine! I'll wait for you outside!"**

**"GOOD THING THAT you are still together with Hyuck!"** Said Donghyuck's mother and Mark shyly smiled as he nodded at her.

They were in the living room at Donghyuck's house, sitting on the couch while having snacks at the coffee table. Donghyuck's mother and grandmother invited him over for a dinner.

 **"Granny, we didn't break up,"** said Donghyuck, correcting her grandmother.

 **"You didn't break up but you acted like you did! Do you think that I didn't notice that you were gloomy for three days?"** Asked Donghyuck's grandmother that made Donghyuck looked away from Mark who was smiling widely at him now.

Mark was happy knowing that Donghyuck got sad on the two days they didn't meet each other. He thought that he was the only one who got sad. This made Mark realize that they love each other the same.

 **"If you could only see Hyuck, you will thought that you just saw a walking dead,"** Donghyuck's mother added, and Mark chuckled.

**"Mom, you're embarrassing me!"**

**"I'm not. I'm just telling the truth,"** Donghyuck's mother defended herself.

Donghyuck's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe that his grandmother and mother were teaming up on embarrassing him in front of Mark.

" **Why do I feel like you like that Simba better than your own son and grandson," s** aid Donghyuck, acting sulky.

 **"Stop being dramatic, son. You won't fool me,"** said Donghyuck's mother, teasing his son.

 **"Oh, you want to be babied, too? Come here, let me feed you milk in a baby bottle,"** said Donghyuck's grandmother.

 _Yep, Mark is really their son and grandson now._ Thought Donghyuck.

Since he and Mark got together, his mother and grandmother won't stop asking him about Mark. It's not that he doesn't like it. In fact, Donghyuck found that cute and he was more than willing to tell stories to his mother and grandmother on how his day went with Mark.

But when Mark was around, they like to tell him his embarrassing stories and Donghyuck doesn't want that. He wanted to look good in front of Mark.

 **"I love every part of you. You don't have to be embarrassed,"** said Mark, caressing his boyfriend's hand, when Donghyuck's mother and grandmother left the room, which made Donghyuck's face red.

MARK WOKE UP with a smile in his face. He's in a good mood. Everything that happened yesterday was wonderful. It feels like everything that was stuck in his throat and heart were now gone. His fear was now gone. Donghyuck accepted him wholeheartedly. Donghyuck still loves him. He couldn't wish more anything other than that.

Donghyuck was all Mark wish for.

Donghyuck was Mark's happiness.

When Mark went out of his room to go to the kitchen, he immediately smell the food that Taeyong was cooking. Breakfast. He smells egg omelet and garlic friend rice.

 **"Good morning, Hyung, Jeno!"** Mark greeted his brothers cheerfully who looks the otherwise. Taeyong and Jeno were both serious, sitting in the dining table.

Then Mark changed his expression into puzzled one when he suddenly realized how bad the mood of his two brothers right now. **"What's wrong with you two?"**

He was hungry the moment he wake up, but seeing his brothers sullen mood, his hunger was now gone.

 **"Shotaro is coming here,"** Taeyong answered.

_Our cousin?_

**"That's nice! What's wrong with that?"** Mark asked. The last time he remembered that they were in good terms with their cousin Shotaro. In fact, they were all close.

Shotaro was also like them. A wereanimal. He's a wereotter. Shotaro went to Jeju Island every summer vacation since primary school until secondary.

What all they know was Shotaro was having an on-the-job training in the Animal Society. Even though he was in the same age as Jeno, Shotaro was already in his last year in college.

 **"Yeah, it's nice. But we just have a bad feeling about this,"** said Jeno. **"We are happy that he's coming back but we feel like there's something wrong about this."**

Instincts.

Instincts are innate behaviors. They natural— whether you are a human or an animal. Instincts are something that animal couldn't ignore and never ignore, unlike humans. This applies to wereanimals, too.

 **"I don't think that there's something bad about Shotaro coming here,"** said Mark. He just couldn't feel the same feeling that his brothers were feeling.

 **"He's coming here with a human. His girlfriend,"** said Taeyong.

And now, there's the fear.

Introducing themselves to a new human was difficult. It's hard to see whether they could trust them or not. Now that they have to be extra careful, it's more difficult to introduce their real selves.

It's not that they don't trust their cousin, but Shotaro was the type that can be easily deceive.


	17. sixteen

Today is a busy day. The Lee brothers was up early in the morning as Shotaro will be coming this morning and also, today is the day of their basketball preliminary match. Taeyong was unusually silent in the kitchen preparing there breakfast since he couldn't trust Jeno and Mark in the kitchen, unless they want to burn the house down. Meanwhile, Mark was excited and nervous at the same time because anytime soon Shotaro will arrive.

They wasn't nervous at all for the basketball match as they were confident with their skills - thanks to their animal blood that they were naturally fast and sensitive and has a keen eyesight, it helps them so well in games and in any form of physical activity. But Jeno and Taeyong were nervous for Mark because Mark seemed to mess up when he's nervous, or when Donghyuck was around to be precised. What happened when Donghyuck attended their practice match was still vivid— Mark failed to shoot the ball to the ring for the first time, and Donghyuck will surely watch the game and cheer for Mark today and the two were nervous that Mark might mess up again. But looking at Mark, he seemed at ease with the upcoming match, too.

After a few seconds, the three pairs of eyes were locked on the door. They finally smelled Shotaro's scent and as the time passes by, their cousin's scent is becoming strong.

One knock at the door and they all stood up. Taeyong walked to the door and opened it and they saw a guy standing outside. Shotaro gave them a timid smile that never fails to show his eyesmile, just like the one Jeno has.

 **"It's been a long time,"** said Shotaro shyly. He's carrying a big backpack and a luggage bag in his left hand.

Jeno looked at Shotaro's back. **"I thought your girlfriend is with you?"**

 **"Oh, Rina rented an apartment near the university. She feels bashful to ask you guys if she can stay here for a while. She doesn't want to be a burden, so, she rented an apartment until we go back to Japan,"** Shotaro answered after he walked in the house. He placed his backpack and luggage at the floor, beside the coffee table at the living room.

Shotaro roamed his eyes around the floor. **"This place hasn't changed a bit."**

 **"Because we don't have much to change. It is good as it is,"** Jeno answered.

 **"It's nice to see you again, Taro,"** Mark greeted, and then he and Shotaro did a brofist.

 **"So, you'll come to university with us today?"** Taeyong asked.

Shotaro politely shook his head, **"I'd like to get a rest, the plane ride is too exhausting. The university email-ed us that we can start to go to classes next week. Maybe I'll go with you tomorrow to see the campus and familiarise myself with it."**

 **"You know where's your room, right?"** Taeyong asked again, and Shotaro nodded.

" **By the way, how about your OJT at the Animal Society if you'll be studying here for a few months?"** Mark curiously asked.

 **"Oh, that? I mostly do computer stuffs, so I can do my job and send reports there at the same time,"** Shotaro answered.

 **"Breakfast, Taro?"** Mark offered but Shotaro politely shook his head.

 **"I already ate at the airport. I'll just go to my room and take a rest,"** Shotaro replied.

 **"WHAT THE HECK are you doing here? You are not allowed here!"** Taeyong asked Jaehyun as he raised his voice when he saw the lad inside the locker room, while Jeno and Mark quietly entered the locker room. As of the moment, it's just the four of them. The brothers got here two hours earlier that the team's call time.

 **"Are you a janitor? How come you got here first than the players?"** Taeyong added, obviously insulting his unofficial boyfriend. _Yes, unofficial boyftiend._ They do kissing and make outs, Jaehyun is overprotective of him, Jaehyun calls him _'My Kitty'_ , yet when you ask Taeyong if they are together-together, he would say a big clear _"No"_ and Jaehyun would answer a big and clearer _"Yes"_.

 **"I'm just here to support you,"** said Jaehyun, trying to be sweet. He's been trying to tame Taeyong for months already since he came back here and the only progress he made was to make Taeyong kiss him back and response to his touches- aside from that, none. Taeyong wasn't even sweet at him, Taeyong wasn't protective to him. Taeyong still hates the fact that they are imprinted on each other.

Taeyong raised his eyebrows. He doesn't believe Jaehyun when the lad said that he's here to support him. **"Support my ass."**

 **"Oh, you'd love that,"** Jaehyun replied with a smirk in his face which made Jeno cough so hard.

 _Dang, why are they talking about those kind of stuffs in broad daylight?!_ Jeno asked himself, wanting to be eaten by the tiled floor. While Mark was focused on his locker and its content, trying his best not to turn his back, and thinking about Donghyuck and rainbows as his ears turn red.

 **"I don't think I should say "Play well" because I heard that your team is the reigning champion for years,"** said Jaehyun, completely ignoring Jeno's and Mark's reaction.

 **"So, I'll just that don't be distracted by my handsomeness. You have my whole support, Kitty,"** said Jaehyun as he peck a kiss on Taeyong's lips which made the older guy's eyes wide.

 **"Ha! As if I'll get distracted by your** ** _ugly_** **face!"** Taeyong hissed.

 **"You have my whole support, kitty, my ass!"** Taeyong added in a mocking tone. It's been months yet he still couldn't accept Jaehyun as his partner.

 **"Your ass?"** Said Jaehyun as he looked at Taeyong with a flirtatious look, scanning his partner from head to toe. **"We'll talk about your ass later. For now, focus on playing well, hm?"** Jaehyun added with a wink and then he left the basketball team's locker room.

Taeyong's brows are still furrowed, glaring at Jaehyun until he couldn't see his back anymore. When he turned his face to his brothers, Jeno and Mark immediately look away.

 **"We didn't see anything, I promise!"** Said Jeno, acting busy as he kept holding and unholding things inside his open locker.

 **"W-we didn't hear anything!"** Mark stutters. **"I am wearing earphones, Hyung!"** He added, but as Taeyong looked as his ears, he saw that Mark's earphones wasn't even plugged in on the phone.

 _Why are they denying it so hard? Jaehyun and I aren't even hiding it_. Taeyong wondered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is lame. I forgot what was my initial plan in this chapter (except for the first half) and I think I accidentally deleted my notes in this chapter since I couldn't find it in my notepad.


	18. seventeen

15 minutes before the match starts.

Donghyuck was rushing towards the gym, he had to walk faster or else he'll be late. He wants to be there on there on time and watch the game from the start until the end, and of course, to support Mark all through out the game. But he took a lot of time on dressing up, he didn't notice that he spent almost an hour in front of the mirror. It's not that he wanted to look nicer and prettier, it's just he's not used to wearing someone else's clothes. He debated with himself if he should wear Mark's varsity jacket or not.

Mark asked him yesterday if he could wear his varsity. He didn't pressure Donghyuck on it, he said that it's still his choice if he wants to wear the jacket or not because he's aware that his boyfriend is not used to wear someone else's clothes, but he also said that he would appreciate it so much if he did.

Donghyuck jokingly replied, **"I don't like wearing someone else's clothes because I might want to own it."**

And Mark seriously replied, **"I don't mind giving it to you,"** which made Donghyuck red.

He's just joking but Mark took it seriously.

But in the end, he still chose to wear Mark's varsity jacket. It has Mark's name and number there which is number 7.

 _I feel comfortable though._ Donghyuck thought after putting the jacket on him during that afternoon.

 _Is it weird that I feel like I can smell Mark in this?_ Donghyuck wondered. Is it possible for him to adapt the wereanimal's characteristics or is it just his imagination because he's been spending a lot of time with Mark and his animal form? He doesn't know the answer.

**"Ouch!"**

**"Oh, shoot!"** Donghyuck almost cursed when he bumped into someone. He looked onto his wrist watch. 2:50 PM, 10 more minutes before the game starts.

Donghyuck looked at the person which he bumped to, it's a woman. She fell to the floor.

 **"Hey, are you okay?"** Donghyuck asked, helping the woman to stand up.

 **"I... I guess so,"** the woman answered, obviously not certain.

She was having a hard time standing up from the floor, and when she did, she was limping. She's wearing heels after all.

 **"It looks like you sprained your foot,"** said Donghyuck worried. **"I am so sorry."**

 **"No, it's okay,"** the woman answered, trying to stand and walk straight which she failed to do so.

 **"Let me take you to the clinic,"** said Donghyuck, offering his help.

 _Dang it. Mark will surely understand why I'm late. I'll just explain it to him later._ Donghyuck thought.

**"No need. I can manage— ouch!"**

**"Please, miss, let me take you to the clinic. You're obviously can't manage to walk properly. Stop lying and insisting that you can walk properly."**

**"Really, you don't have to— ah! Put me down!"** The woman protested.

Donghyuck doesn't have a choice but to carry the woman and bring her to the clinic by force. His conscience will eat him up if he let the woman go with a broken foot.

 **"Put me down! I told you I can manage myself!"** Said the woman, moving around too much.

 **"Please, stay still, or else I'll throw you here,"** said Donghyuck, and with that, the woman got silent. They're in the stairs going down to the first floor where the clinic was located and the woman in his arms is not cooperating. If he lose his patience, he'll just let this woman fall to the stairs.

When the arrived at the university's clinic, the school nurse immediately assisted them.

 **"I'll leave now. I'm sorry again," s** aid Donghyuck after the nurse helped him put the woman to the bed.

 **"Thank you,"** said the woman shyly, finally realizing that what she did earlier when Donghyuck carried him was immature. **"May I know your name?"**

 **"Donghyuck,"** he answered plainly. **"I have to go now."**

 **"I am Rina. Thank you, Donghyuck!"** Said the woman before Donghyuck fades in her sight. **"Hope to see you around here soon!"**

When Donghyuck got to the gym, the seats were all occupied.

 **"Oh my God, there you are!"** Donghyuck heard Jaemin and he looked around to look for his friend, and he saw him a few meters away.

 **"Why are you are 20 minutes late? Your boyfriend searched for you,"** Jaemin asked.

 **"Sorry, just have to rush someone to the clinic,"** Donghyuck answered. **"D'you save a seat for me?"**

 **"Of course! That's what friends are for, right? To save seats!"** Kid Jaemin as they walk through the gym.

 **"Jaehyun Hyung saves us a seat. He got hear early,"** Jaemin added. **"I think he got here before the players and the coach arrive."**

 **"Eh? That early?!"** Donghyuck asked, shocked.

**"Do I look like I'm kidding? He's so early!"**

The two sat at the front seat beside Jaehyun. **"Now, we're complete. The one who arrived ealy, the one who arrived on time, and the one who arrived late— we're a perfect trio just like our boyfriends!" Jaemin kid.**

Donghyuck watched Mark play and he looks distracted. Mark's eyes kept on roaming around the crowd while at the court.

 _Is he looking for me?_ Donghyuck wondered.

And when their eyes met, Mark smiled.

 **"I thought you won't wear it,"** Mark mouthed.

Donghyuck smiled, **"But I am. Do your best!"** He cheered and Mark made a gentle nod.

On the fourtb quarter, Mark got a free throw. He got two free throws and he successfully shoot the first one.

Now, he's dribbling the ball for the second free throw. He gently looked at Donghyuck who was sitting and looking at him.

 **"This is for you,"** Mark mouthed at his boyfriend.

 **"Please, don't fail,"** kid Donghyuck and Mark chuckled because he clearly remembered what had happened during their practice match a few weeks ago.

Mark breathes heavily before he shoot the ball to the ring, and it he did it successfully.

Mark immediately looked back at Donghyuck after doing the shot successfully, and he Jaemin shaking his boyfriend hardly.

 **"Lee Jeno, I swear! If you don't do that to me, too—"** Jaemin shouted but he cut himself mid-sentence. He didn't want to say that if Jeno won't do that to him, he won't rub his belly when he's on his dog form.

Mark and Taeyong laughed at it.

 **"I love you,"** Donghyuck mouthed and Mark winked at him— which rarely happens— and that made Donghyuck red.

 _Gosh, why is he so bold today? What's with him?_ Donghyuck wondered with a blushing face.


	19. eighteen

If looks could kill, every man and woman eyeing and talking to Jaehyun right now would probably be dead.

They just won the basketball match but Taeyong doesn't feel like celebrating. He was happy a while ago with all the attention and praises they got, but the moment he saw girls talking to Jaehyun, that happiness was immediately replaced by anger.

Taeyong badly want to pierce his claw to those girls talking to Jaehyun and to guys eyeing him, but he couldn't and he shouldn't.

He doesn't even know what they were talking about but seeing Jaehyun smiling at them, showing his dimples, didn't fail to make Taeyong's blood boil.

 **"Hey, Hyung, are you okay?"** Jeno asked when he noticed that his older brother suddenly went silent.

Taeyong looked at him and he slowly nodded, **"Yeah."**

 **"You're going to the party?"** Jeno asked. **"Mark's not coming. He will spend time alone with Hyuck at home. Jaemin and I are coming. How about you, Hyung?"**

**"What party?"**

**"The celebratory party!"** Said Kevin, their fellow teammate. **"We always do that whenever we win a match. You're still not used to it, eh? I thought you're a party guy?"**

Taeyong showed a timid smile when he finally realized what the party was about. Of course, the team held a party every time they won a match. **"Whose house?"**

 **"Mine,"** Kevin replied. **"You coming?"**

**"Of course. I never miss a party, am I?"**

**"Are you going to tag Jaehyun Hyung along?"** Jeno asked curiously.

 **"No. Why would I invite him?"** Taeyong asked back bitterly. Just hearing Jaehyun's voice makes Taeyong blood boil, again. He looked at Jaehyun once again and he was still talking to those girls, still smiling brightly with them.

**"Because some of our teammates will tag their partners along, and I am tagging Jaemin. And since you and Jaehyun—"**

Taeyong raised an eyebrow.

 **"We're** ** _not together_** **, Jeno. We're not in a relationship. Don't make me repeat what I've said,''** said Taeyong sternly before he walked out of the gym along with Kevin, leaving Jeno and their other teammates behind.

 _Well, Jeno bought his car. I don't mind leaving him alone. He's already an adult._ Taeyong thought.

Jeno just shook his head slowly as he watch his older brother walk away with Kevin.

Jeno truly can't understand how Taeyong thinks. It's obvious that his older brother is jealous, yet he won't admit it. Taeyong keep on saying that he and Jaehyun aren't in a relationship, yet they are imprinted in one another. They are basically in a relationship.

 **"PLEASE, JAEHYUN, you are the only hope of our department,"** begged Rin, his classmate in biochemistry.

 **"I am not really interested in joining pageants,"** said Jaehyun, smiling politely. **"I haven't joined a pageant even once. We will lose if you keep on insisting me to join."**

He's been declining them since they started talking but Rin and Mayumi aren't giving up. They are too persistent.

 **"You are undeniably handsome. You have a good body figure. You are smart. We are certain that you will win even though you don't have an experience,"** Rin insisted.

Jaehyun looked at the girl beside Rin, Mayumi, their half-japanese classmate and also the vice president of their class while Rin is the president.

 **"Please, Jaehyun. We don't trust the other guys to join. You are the most sane man in our class,"** Mayumi added.

Jaehyun showed a timid smile, partly biting his lower lip.

 **"I'll think about it,"** said Jaehyun, giving up. They've been convincing him since the game ended and it looks like the two don't have any plans to stop until they made him say yes.

 **"Oh my God, yes please! Think about it! You'll be partnered with Seulgi,"** said Mayumi.

 **"We're not making our department win. We just want to put up a decent competition and the other guys in our class can't seem to do that, that's why we're asking you,"** said Rin.

 **"Please think about it, Jae, hmm?"** She added. **"Tell us your decision. You have until next week to decide because we have a deadline. Thank you for thinking about it!"**

 **"No problem,"** said Jaehyun.

 **"Thank you again, Jae. We'll go ahead now,"** said Mayumi, and then she left with Rin.

After the two left, Jaehyun roamed his eyes around the gym to search for Taeyong. But the lad was nowhere to be found, he could only see Jeno, Jaemin, and other team members of the basketball team. Mark and Donghyuck were nowhere to be found, too.

So, Jaehyun approached Jeno and Jaemin to ask Taeyong's whereabouts.

**"Jeno, where's your brother?"**

**"Oh, Taeyong Hyung? He left first to the celebratory party,"** Jeno replied.

**"He went there alone?"**

Jeno shook his head, **"He went there with Kevin and a few others. He seemed to be in a bad mood, he insisted on going there now."**

 **"Do you want to come, Hyung?"** Jaemin asked.

 **"Sure,"** Jaehyun replied. **"I should know what the cat's up to."**

 **"IS IT really okay for us to leave first?"** Donghyuck asked, a little bit worried, as he looked at Mark who was driving.

Mark nodded. **"They'll understand. Besides, I don't often attend the celebratory party. It's Taeyong Hyung who never missed a party. If there's a party in our team, Taeyong Hyung is always there. He doesn't look like it but he's a party type. Jeno goes there when he feels like it. And besides, you don't like parties that much, right?"**

Donghyuck nodded. **"Parties exhaust me. I don't know why. It just feels awkward to talk and to dance with a bunch of strangers."**

 **"Also, I prefer to be alone with you,"** Donghyuck added, which made Mark's cheeks blush.

Dang. They've been together for months, yet Mark is still not used to it whenever Hyuck says something sweet. It always caught him off guard. It always makes his heart beat a hundred times faster.

It took Mark a few seconds before he came back to his usual self.

 **"What do you want? You haven't eaten dinner, right?"** Mark added. **"Do you want me to cook?"**

Donghyuck chuckled at Mark's question. **"No. It's a very bad idea to have you to cook. You cannot even cook an egg properly. Let's just have a take out."**

Mark shook his head because of his boyfriend's honesty. **"You really never missed a chance to diss my cooking skills."**

 **"Who wouldn't? Even your brothers disses your cooking,"** Donghyuck replied. **"The first time you offered to cook I let you because I thought you know how, but after seeing the yolk separate from the white? No thanks."**

 **"I swear, Hyuck, if I learned how to cook, I will cook for you everyday and it will taste like the one in the restaurants,"** Mark replied.

 **"Babe, you just have to learn how to cook edible foods. I am not wishing for you to cook as good as the one in the restaurants because it will take you a hundred years before you learn how to cook deliciously,"** Donghyuck added, never missing a chance to diss his boyfriend's cooking skills.

 **"Fine, fine,"** said Mark in a giving up tone.

The two bought food from a restaurant and had it taken out.

 **"Where are we going, really?"** Donghyuck asked as Mark continue to drive his black car.

Since they went out of the university, he did not bother to ask where they are going, but he trusts Mark. Donghyuck thought at first they they will go to Mark's house, but he saw his boyfriend took a different route, away from the route to his boyfriend's house.

 **"To my safe place,"** Mark answered.

**"And where is that?"**

**"In the middle of the forest,"** Mark answered with a timid smile. **"We can go can go there from our house but there is an easier route."**

**"Did you go there when, you know, we had a problem?"**

Mark nodded. **"And then I saw you right after and we fixed it. That place really calms me. If I am really frustrated about something, I will take the long route there, which is from our house, if I'm not and just want some alone time, then I will take the shortcut which is what we're doing."**

 **"Did you built a house there?"** Donghyuck asked innocently. He didn't have a clue how Mark had a _safe place_ in the middle of the forest. The forests in the island are all large forests, it is not something you can roam around all night to go to every place. If Donghyuck estimate things right, the smallest forest in the island could take half a day to roam every place and the biggest could take more than a few days. The forest in Mark's house is one of the biggest in the island, Donghyuck believes that the end of the woods was the shore or maybe a cliff since its direction is towards to the end of the island— unless there's still part of the city at the end.

Mark chuckled at Donghyuck's question. **"No, I didn't touch anything. It is what it is... It's very beneficial to me whether I'm in human or lion form."**

 **"Are there no wild animals there?"** Donghyyck asks innocently again. He's been a city boy and living in an island is new to him even though he likes to go camping he never went far, except for that one moment when he was a child (Donghyuck is still grateful that Mark guided him back to the camp site), and even though he's Korean, he never had the interest on the lands and wild life in his own country.

Mark looked at him with a smile. **"There are some but I've made some good friends. Being an wereanimal isn't bad at all. You are part of two worlds."**

**"Does it mean that all of you could communicate to one another?"**

**"Animals are naturally like that, don't they? There's no certain language whether you are a lion or a tiger, you still can communicate. Unlike humans, every place has their own language,"** Mark answered and Donghyuck is fascinated.

He wonders how it felt to communicate with animals. Even just by thinking about bilingual and multilingual amazes him, what more to humans that can communicate with animals? Mark is truly amazing.

Donghyuck is really whipped to his boyfriend, and he's proud to admit it.

Donghyuck knew for sure that a lot of wereanimals doesn't like what they are. But Mark, his Mark, thought positively of his kind. It's rare to find someone unique to embrace their own kind, even though they know that they will be hated by the mankind once they're unveiled to the world to see and hear.

The engine stops inside the woods which was unusual. Usually, there's still path inside the woods made for tourists. But in the area where Mark parked the car, there's none. Which means that they are really far from the city and they are somewhere deep in the woods.

Donghyuck held Mark's hand tightly, fearing that he might get lost once he lost a grip to his boyfriend's hand.

 **"Woah,"** Donghyuck gasped at the view.

No wonder that Mark call this part of the wood a safe place. It truly makes you feel ecstatic. It gives you comfore. It makes you feel safe because of its beauty.

Who would have thought that in the middle of one of the forests in Jeju Island is a mesmerising falls? The view up is also beautiful, you can see the stars clearly. There are also small flowers around the falls, the ground is covered in green grasses.

God, who would have thought that this place is _this_ beautiful?

Mark on the other hand couldn't stop staring at his boyfriend. While Donghyuck is busy admiring the place, Mark is busy admiring his beautiful.

He's glad that Donghyuck liked it.

He couldn't wish for more aside from Donghyuck's happiness.

Mark then held Donghyuck's hand. **"Let's go. Let's stay somewhere because you might get cold. The winter is near and the water from the falls is cold."**

Donghyuck followed Mark's footsteps. They entered to a cave and after that, it's pitch black. He didn't budge to hold his phone and open the flashlight because it's too bothersome since it is on his backpack.

Donghyuck almost had an heart attack when he heard something growl... No, it's not something. Donghyuck is certain that it's a lion!

 **"Calm down. No one will touch you,"** said Mark. **"No one will harm you."**

**"Where are we, really?"**

**"Uhm, see it for yourself, babe,"** said Mark as they continue to walk inside the cave.

After a few more steps, the light from the moon finally entered the cave and if Donghyuck's eyes is not betraying him, he's seeing tons of lions around them.

_In a lion den...?_

Donghyuck nervously looked at Mark and his boyfriend just chuckled at him, which pisses Donghyuck because it's obvious that he's nervous yet his beloved Mark has the guts to find it entertaining!

If the lion is Mark, Donghyuck wouldn't fear it because it is Mark. But the lions in here? No, they are real lions!

 **"Calm down,"** said Mark as he rub his thumb to Donghyuck's hand, reassuring his boyfriend with a smile.

Donghyuck heaved heavily and he stared at Mark and just let his boyfriend to drag him anywhere in the cave.

When they stopped, they are at the other end of cave. The falls is much viewable in their area and they are closer to the sky because of the height of the cave. It's not that high, maybe two feet from the ground. There are still lions in the area but most of them are laying and if not, is grooming their cubs.

 **"** **Let's sit now and eat our dinner,"** said Mark and Donghyuck confusedly looked at him.

**"Sit where?"**

**"Here. Just any place here,"** said Mark. **"If you don't like it here, just tell me and I'll take you to our house."**

Donghyuck shook his head after they sat on the cold floor of the cave. **"I like the view here. I've never seen anything this beautiful."**

 **"Is it weird that I took you here instead of ideal date night place?"** Mark asked. **"I'm sorry that this doesn't look ideal and romantic at all."**

Donghyuck smiled. **"I like it here. It's unique. It is calming... Like a safe place."**

 **"Just a little bit dangerous if you are not welcome,"** Donghyuck kidded.

Donghyuck then shivered when he felt the cold breeze of air. The temperature of the forest, the cold floor, and the breeze coming from the falls are all adding up, making it colder than the temperature in the city.

Donghyuck was taken a back when a pair of lioness lay next to Donghyuck. One on his back and the other one on his side, the lioness in his side even rest her head on Donghyuck's lap.

Mark smiled from the lionesses' action. **"They're giving you heat."**

 **"Really?"** Donghyuck asked in awe.

He didn't expect this kind of warm welcome from them. He just came here yet they are this good to him.

Donghyuck was touched.

A couple pair of cubs came close of them and starts playing with Mark's and Donghyuck's shoe lace. Donghyuck did not dare to stop the cub from playing, not because he's afraid of them (because he's not afraid anymore), but because they are just too adorable.

 **"Apparently, I am part of their pack since I was a kid,"** Mark started telling his story and Donghyuck paid his attention to his boyfriend. **"Mama and Taeyong Hyung found me near the falls when I was about seven months old. It turns out that the lions here put me there when they smell human approaching."**

**"I accidentally went to this place when I was kid because I got lost. The lions knew that I am not normal like any other humans that's why they thought of giving me to Mama when they smelled her because they knew that she also took care of another wereanimal which is Taeyong Hyung. Before they gave me, they made me part of their pride. It means that I can always go back here. When I asked if they knew who are my real parents, they don't have a clue. One of the pride leaders just found me in the forest and they took me here for some warmth."**

Donghyuck was speechless. He feels sorry because Mark still hasn't found his real family. But he was also happy that Mark has another family aside from Jeno and Taeyong. Mark is still blessed.

 **"And since you are my mate, you are automatically part of the pride. I don't know how they knew, maybe because of your smell. But they didn't hesitate to accept and welcome you here,"** Mark added.

Animals are truly hard to understand. Even the so-called animal whispers still couldn't say that they can tame or communicate to animals properly. Even though how much you study about them, you won't understand their behaviour a hundred percent. But just being with Mark and his pride, Donghyuck somewhat finally understands them.

 **"I am glad to be part of this pride. I am thankful that you didn't hesitate to introduce me in this world,"** said Donghyuck, truly happy and thankful.

**"And I am thankful that you accepted me as I am."**

Because for Mark, that is the most wonderful gift he had received— Donghyuck's love and acceptance.


	20. nineteen

Lee Taeyong was restless in his seat in the corner of the classroom as he glared at Jaehyun who was sitting and talking peacefully to their classmate named Seulgi about the upcoming campus pageant.

_ Dumb cat. Why do you keep looking at him?  _ Taeyong nagged himself. Inside, Taeyong was convincing himself that he should be happy that Jaehyun wasn’t bothering him anymore. He was neither clinging onto him nor talking to him nor looking at him as if he would devour him alive. He should be grateful that Jaehyun’s attention was no longer into him.

But something was bothering Taeyong, and he doesn’t want to admit it, but he felt sad when Jaehyun just ignored him earlier this morning and just walked past him like what he does to other students. The Jaehyun he knew wasn’t like this. Jaehyun would always run to him the moment he saw him every single morning, and getting ignored by Jaehyun stung Taeyong’s heart a bit. Aside from that, Jaehyun did not even talk to him since he went inside the classroom nor went to him. It feels like Jaehyun did not see him.

Taeyong heaved a deep breath, telling himself  **“You should be happy. He’s no longer bugging you,”** with palms closed. But then again, he found himself looking at Jaehyun’s face.

He felt a foreign feeling of restlessness and pain inside his chest every time he looked at Jaehyun and he looked peaceful talking to Seulgi. He somewhat felt jealous that she got to talk to him today.

**“Fuck it. Stop looking at him. You are not jealous because you don’t like him. You are imprinted on him against your will!”** Taeyong, once again, whispered to himself as he nagged himself for the nth time that morning.

After the class ended that morning, Taeyong walked straight out of the room and as he walked through the corridor, he saw his younger brother Mark standing, leaning his back against the wall.

Without saying a word, Taeyong approached his brother.

**“Chill, Hyung. If your looks can kill, I’d be dead,”** said Mark as he noticed his brother’s facial expressions.  **“What’s the matter?”**

**“Nothing,”** Taeyong answered plainly, avoiding the question. He doesn’t want to remind himself that he was in a bad mood because Jaehyun hasn't looked or talked to him today.

**“Where’s Hyuck?”** Taeyong asked Mark to change the topic. He doesn’t bother to ask Jeno’s whereabouts because he knew that at this hour, the lad still has an ongoing class.

**“He got called in Dra. Kim’s office,”** Mark answered. **“So tell me, why are you in a bad mood? You looked okay when you left the house this morning. What made you mad today?”**

**“Nothing,”** Taeyong answered.

**“Hyung, you are not good at keeping secrets. You are the worst at it. Even if you don’t tell me, I’ll still know it,”** said Mark and Taeyong just shrugged it off. He wasn’t in a mood to talk, but he also doesn’t want to be alone today, that’s why he’s with Mark. 

**“Why are you here, by the way? Do you need something?”** Taeyong asked. Mark’s class was in the next building, not here. Also, they were on the 5th floor, Mark must need something from him to go this far.

**“Yes, I need something but not-”**

**“Mark.”**

Taeyong froze in his place when he heard a deep, baritone voice behind his back. He could feel the lad’s presence a few inches away from him.

**“And here comes Jaehyun Hyung!”** Said Mark.

**“You are asking about the format for Mr. Shim’s project?”** Taeyong heard Jaehyun asked. Mark nodded.

**“Why are you asking him about that? You could’ve asked me, I also took his class last year,”** said Taeyong to his younger brother. He did not dare to turn on his back. He doesn’t want to see Jaehyun’s face or else he might just punch him.

**“Well, I heard that Jaehyun Hyung got the highest grade,”** Mark answered slyly.

Jaehyun, then, handed a folder to Mark.  **“Everything you need is in there. Mr. Shim likes lengthy paragraphs but he doesn’t like those who just play with words to make it lengthy. Proper citation is a must on him, that’s a huge part of his grading. Also, make sure that your references really do exist and you just don’t make it up because he checks every project one by one.”**

Mark nodded as he scanned the files in the folder. “Thank you, Hyung! This is a good help!”

**“You’re welcome. I got to go now,”** said Jaehyun, and Taeyong felt him walk away.

A few seconds after Jaehyun left, Mark looked at Taeyong seriously. **“It’s Jaehyun Hyung, isn’t it?”**

**“No!”** Taeyong answered loudly. Then he turned his back to the younger.  **“I remember, I have to do something.”**

Taeyong walked fastly away from his brother. He took the stairs to go down and low-key sniffed Jaehyun’s scent to follow the lad’s path. Taeyong made up his mind- he will ask the lad what the heck is wrong with him and why is he acting unusual today.

Taeyong found himself at the end of the right wing of the 3rd floor where there were a few people since most of the people in that floor were having a class in their respective classrooms.

Taeyong looked at the door of the Dean’s Office, where Jaehyun’s scent went. He will just wait for the lad to come out, so that they could finally talk.

After a few minutes of waiting, he heard the knob opened and he saw Jaehyun going out of the office. Jaehyun immediately saw him since he was standing in front of the office, but the lad quickly looked at the papers he was holding and walked away from Taeyong.

Taeyong gasped in irritation at Jaehyun’s action.  _ Why is he acting like this? _

**“Jaehyun!”** Taeyong called him as he walked to catch up to the lad, but Jaehyun ignored him as if he wasn’t calling him.

When Taeyong got finally close to the lad, he immediately held his arms to stop him from walking. **“What’s wrong with you?!”**

Jaehyun held his hand and put it away from his arm, which made Taeyong shocked and felt that foreign pain in his chest again. Jaehyun looked at him boredly.  **“There’s nothing wrong with me.”**

**“Then why are you acting like that?”** Taeyong asked irritatedly.

**“Acting like what? Specify,”** Jaehyun replied. **“The last time I check I am acting normal.”**

Taeyong was taken aback with Jaehyun’s reply. He bit his lower lip as gather his courage to speak.  **“Why are you ignoring me?”**

There, he finally said it.

Jaehyun looked at him with surprise and clear irritation, as though he couldn’t believe the words that came out from Taeyong’s mouth. **“I am just doing what you want.”**

**“You don’t want me, right? You always want me to leave you alone and not talk to you. Now, I am finally doing it. So why are you asking me as if you do not like what I am doing?”**

During the night that Jaehyun followed the lad to the victory party, he hadn’t got the chance to approach the younger. He saw how much Taeyong enjoyed Kevin’s company, and even though he was standing far away from them, he heard Taeyong say **“I wonder what it feels like to be your boyfriend. It must be nice”** to Kevin loud and clear. He saw that Kevin just ignored Taeyong’s words and said that he got Jaehyun as his boyfriend but Taeyong did not even flinch to deny it. Jaehyun was deeply hurt and he did not waste time to go out of this place. He thought that Taeyong wasn’t that serious about denying what was going on between them. Jaehyun thought that Taeyong was just saying that he doesn’t want him because he was still holding a grudge against him because of what happened the day he left the island to go to the U.S. He thought that Taeyong likes him because they are imprinted on each other. But he was wrong. Seeing the lad deny him hurts. Jaehyun gave it a long thought and decided to do what Taeyong always tells him to do- to leave him alone.

**“But… but we are imprinted on each other,”** said Taeyong in a low voice.

Taeyong couldn’t imagine how much self-control Jaehyun has to ignore him. Since they were both wereanimals that were imprinted on each other, their control to be with their partner was weaker than Mark’s and Jeno’s who was imprinted on a human. It’s like a magnet, they would just keep on pulling each other close to one another. During the first week that they found out that they were imprinted in each other, Jaehyun slept in the living room of his house since they both couldn’t feel at ease without each other’s presence. As time passed by, they got used to it and the attraction wasn’t as strong as in their first week. 

But now, Jaehyun was avoiding him on purpose. 

**“We can get used to it,”** said Jaehyun, referring to the feeling of uneasiness whenever they’re not together. Jaehyun turned his back and was about to walk away, but Taeyong held his arms again to stop the lad from walking.

Jaehyun stilled at his place.

**“Please don’t go.”**

Jaehyun heaved a deep sigh, **“Why? You wanted this, right?”**

Jaehyun, then, felt the gap between them close as Taeyong hugged him from the back, wrapping his arms around him tightly.

**“No,”** said Taeyong and Jaehyun felt the lad shook his head. **“I don’t want this. I don’t like this feeling.”**

Jaehyun clenched his first in frustration. His control was slowly moving away from his grasp.  **“Why are you doing this?”**

**“Because I want you to stay by my side! It hurts to see you ignoring me. I cannot bear it!”**

Taeyong heard Jaehyun chuckled quietly. **“So it hurts if I am the one doing this to you? But did you even think of my feelings whenever you ignore and push me away?”**

Taeyong stilled at the lad’s questions.

**“You fucking selfish, Taeyong. You are selfish,”** said Jaehyun clearly as his voice trembles in frustration and sadness.

**“I don’t think I can talk to you or look at you properly right now,”** said Jaehyun as he held Taeyong’s arms and unwrap it from his waist.

Taeyong’s wrap loosens. He felt numb by the lad’s words as he watched Jaehyun walk away from him.

Then reality hits Taeyong. Jaehyun was right. He is selfish.

MARK AND Donghyuck was walking quietly towards the classroom. Mark did not bother to talk to Donghyuck because the lad was in a bad mood, and he didn’t want Donghyuck to unleash his anger on him and Donghyuck didn't want it too, so he stayed quiet until Hyuck had finally calmed down. Donghyuck got called in Dra. Kim’s office to tell him that he has to exert extra effort in her subject since his grades are falling. Donghyuck was disappointed in himself but he did not blame himself because he knew that he did his best in that subject. Anatomy and Physiology was his weakness, that subject is made from hell. The lesson itself was difficult, not to add that he has to review almost everyday because he has a quiz every monday and friday on that subject. Even with it, he still finds it hard to get a decent grade. He’s thankful whenever he gets a passing score but that rarely happens. Whenever he fails, he has to ignore the sadness because he has to review for the upcoming quiz. It’s a nonstop cycle.

**“What happened to him?”** Jaemin whispered to Mark after Donghyuck took a bow on his desk.

**“He’s in a bad mood. Don’t talk to him for now,”** said Mark. 

**“Have you seen the hot news lurking online?”** Jaemin asked, pulling them in front of Mark’s desk to sit and talk properly to the lad. He mostly does this to Hyuck but since Mark told him not to bother him for now, he’s bothering Mark. He couldn’t talk to Jeno since the lad belongs to a different class but he left a message, it’s just Jeno hasn’t read it yet.

Mark shook his head. He hasn't opened his phone since he got inside the campus.

Jaemin came closer to him.

**“There’s a video of a man transforming into a tiger. People are debating whether it’s real or just a good CIG because it looks real,”** said Jaemin as though he was whispering.

**“And what’s with it?”** Mark asked. He wasn’t interested in the topic. A lot of videos like this were posted everyday- people seeing mermaids, people seeing a half-snake and a half-human, it doesn’t shock Mark anymore because in the end of the discussion, those are all edited.

**“The caption bothers me,”** said Jaemin, then he took out the phone and showed the post to Mark.

Mark leaned in to see the post better, then he stilled in his seat.

**_Creatures like this truly exist! They can transform to a human form and animal form. They call themselves wereanimals. Be careful when you see one. Who knows, maybe your friend is one of them._ **

Mark’s heart beat fastened as the video played.

He was certain that it wasn’t edited. It shows the transformation of a wereanimal.

_How did this get into social media?_ Mark asked himself as he prayed silently that people will think that this is just edited and nothing else more. He hopes that people will ignore this or else, they will be in danger. And the Animal Society won’t take this lightly.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a native english speaker. I learnt english as a second language, so, if there's any grammatical error please notify me so I can correct it.
> 
> And please, leave a comment: critic or praise. Just to keep my motivation on writing and to keep the story better.
> 
> I also have a wattpad account (@shhhaine) where I also post my other nct fanfics. You can check them out!


End file.
